Depositors of five Shariah-based Islamic banks launched a sit-in programme in front of Bangladesh Bank headquarters on Tuesday, demanding immediate return of their deposits and expressing concern over the central bank governor's statements about their banks' condition.

Protesters, primarily from Chattogram with others from different districts expected to join, said they fear losing their savings after the governor repeatedly highlighted the poor financial state of these banks during various programmes. Move triggered panic among account holders.

Bangladesh Bank merged the five Islamic banks into United Islamic Bank, but depositors complained that full operations have not yet begun, delaying fund withdrawal. Central bank announced depositors would initially receive Tk 2 lakh each once operations start, followed by monthly withdrawals.

Many protesters said their deposits range from Tk 10 lakh to Tk 20 lakh. They argued that receiving only Tk 2 lakh is insufficient to run households or cover medical expenses.

Bangladesh Bank allocated Tk 35,000 crore in capital for the merger, with the government already disbursing Tk 20,000 crore. United Islamic Bank's central office has been established in Sena Kalyan Trust building near Bangladesh Bank, but operations remain stalled.

Depositors stated their main concern stems from what they described as provocative statements by the governor during public programmes. Although Bangladesh Bank assured return of every customer's deposited funds, protesters demanded faster action and clearer timelines.

Sit-in participants said full-scale movement would officially begin from 11:00 am, with more depositors expected to join throughout the day. Programme aims to pressure central bank authorities into expediting the fund return process and providing concrete assurances about deposit safety.