Amid protest of the candidates, Bankers' Selection Committee today cancelled the recruitment tests for eight state-run banks.

The decision came after an emergency meeting between Bangladesh Bank Governor Fazle Kabir and the committee members, Bangladesh Bank General Manager GM Abul Kalam Azad told reporters today at the Central Bank.

The candidates have been protesting demanding cancellation of the "controversial" recruitment tests of January 12. They also demanded holding fresh exams for all the candidates.

A five-member committee have been formed to investigate the mismanagement took place during the recruitment tests, the BB spokesperson said.

The Bankers Selection Committee is comprised of chief executives of 14 state-run banks and financial institutions, including Sonali, Rupali and Janata banks.

The 100-mark MCQ test, held at 61 exam centres in Dhaka to fill up 1,663 posts, was mired in mismanagement, including no seat plans, shortage of seats, use of mobile phones by examinees and question paper leaks.

The Bankers' Selection Committee following the demonstrations had declared that the recruitment tests would be held on January 20 but only for the 5,600 candidates who could not take the exams at Government Bangla College and Hazrat Shah Ali Mohila College in Mirpur due to seat shortage and mismanagement. However, more than 2,13,000 who sat for the exams would not have to retake it.