BB probing dubious transactions in EBL ATM booths

A Bangladesh Bank official today said the central bank is investigating dubious transactions in the Eastern Bank Ltd (EBL) ATM booths and action would be taken against him if negligence by anybody is found.

BB Deputy Governor SK Sur Chowdhury said this while replying to reporters queries after a function at a hotel in Dhaka.

He said withdrawing depositor’s money from any bank through dubious transaction is a matter of concern.

Chowdhury said on the basis of the findings of the investigation action would be taken against the persons responsible for the crime.

He said in this regard whether there is any lapse in the security system of the banks including that of the EBL will be reviewed.

The Eastern Bank Ltd Friday shut down operations of all of its ATM booths, after 21 banking transactions were deemed suspicious.

Ziaul Karim, a spokesperson for EBL, Friday said the bank had suspended operations of its 200 ATM booths from 12:00pm to 6:00pm after some clients informed the bank's call centre about the suspected transactions.

"We had shut down the system as a precaution. However, our system restarted again at 6:00pm," he told The Daily Star.

Ziaul said the suspected transactions were carried out not at EBL's own ATM booths, but at the booths of some other banks interconnected through the National Payment Switch.

The bank instantly informed the central bank, which operates the National Payment Switch.