The Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB), an organisation of private bank sponsors, today requested the central bank to extend the deadline for implementation of its instructions that have fixed the salary of entry-level private bank officials.

The association made the call in a meeting with Bangladesh Bank Governor Fazle Kabir at the central bank headquarters in Dhaka.

Md Nazrul Islam Mazumder, chairman of the BAB, told reporters that the association informed the banking regulator that it would be difficult for the lenders to implement the BB instructions by March 1.

"We have to discuss the issue further with the central bank, after which the BAB may ask the BB to reconsider the notice," he said.

The BAB has not understood the circular as of yet as there have been some gaps.

But, Mazumder did not clarify about the gaps in the notice that was released by the central bank on January 20.

He, however, said the Bangladesh Bank has assured the BAB that it would take the issue with utmost importance.

Md Serajul Islam, spokesperson and an executive director of the central bank, said the BAB had requested the BB to extend the deadline.

The BB has assured the organisation that it would think whether the deadline could be extended.

The BB issued the notice with a stipulation of the entry-level salary of assistant officer, trainee assistant officer, trainee assistant cash officer or equivalent officials to be a minimum Tk 28,000 during the probation period.

The total salary of an entry-level official, including basic pay, will have to be at least Tk 39,000 a month after the end of the probation period, it added.

The central bank also mentioned that the opening salary of support staff, messengers, cleaners, security guards, or equivalent positions, should be at least Tk 24,000.

As per the latest central bank notice, no bank will be allowed to sack or ask any employee to resign or postpone promotions over failures to attain deposit mobilisation targets.

In today's meeting, senior officials of the central bank, chairmen of different banks and leaders of ABB were also present.