Sammilito Islami Bank PLC has begun returning deposits to customers, with those who applied on 1 September allowed to withdraw their money from today.
The bank, formed through the merger of five Shariah-based lenders, has arranged funds at its branches based on customer demand. Officials said some customers with urgent needs are also being allowed to withdraw money ahead of their scheduled dates.
At several branches in the capital, customers collecting their deposits were welcomed with flowers and sweets.
Officials said customers’ loan records are being checked through a dedicated system using their National Identity Card (NID) numbers before deposits are released. Customers found to have defaulted loans across the five merged banks will be referred to the relevant authorities for a decision.
Customers without defaulted loans will be allowed to withdraw their money according to the rules, officials said. Bangladesh Bank is supervising the process.
At the Kakrail branch, 11 customers who applied on 1 September were scheduled to receive their deposits today. At the Paltan branch, two of 17 applicants collected their full deposits.
At the Naya Paltan branch, a customer was allowed to withdraw Tk20,000 early after informing the manager that her child was ill.
Officials urged customers not to panic, saying sufficient funds have been arranged and depositors’ money is safe under government responsibility and Bangladesh Bank supervision.
Bangladesh Bank has provided Tk5,000 crore to Sammilito Islami Bank for deposit repayments. Since applications opened on 1 September, around 75,000 customers have applied to withdraw a total of Tk3,925 crore.
The bank was created through the merger of EXIM Bank, Social Islami Bank, First Security Islami Bank, Global Islami Bank and Union Bank.
