No gender discrimination in recruitment by banks: Atiur

Governor Atiur Rahman has said the central bank has some women high officials who are competent enough to be governor. He also has expressed the hope that some one from the opposite gender might replace him as governor of the central bank.
'I hope a woman will replace me. A competent lady might take over at the end of my tenure," he said during an interview with the FE on the occasion of International Women's Day (IWD).
Dr Atiur said Bangladesh Bank (BB) believes women empowerment cannot take place unless they were visible in good numbers in every sector of the economy including banking and regulatory system.
The gender policy was formulated for the banking sector to recruit more women and create a women-friendly environment.
"We really want them (women) to get equal opportunities in training and promotion. We have for the first time appointed a lady deputy governor, established a day-care centre, asked all the banks to setup day care centres in clusters. Also we have asked banks to take actions against any act of harassing the women employees. We have gender policy and asked to take action against the banks if they keep women after 6pm and fail to provide transport facility along with security."
He ruled out the possibility of recruiting a lesser number women employees by banks due to the provision of six-month maternity leave.
He said the recruitment process is very transparent as there is no scope of identifying male and female during the recruitment process. The BB governor further said the central bank is coordinating recruitment of public banks and a woman is the secretary to the relevant committee.
Dr Atiar said due to the central bank's constant monitoring recruitment by the banks has crossed the level of government's 10 per cent quota for women.
"The central bank is not against women recruitment. Not even in the case of their promotion.. for which a good number of bank's female staff are allowed for attending advance studies."
If bank takes any anti-women step, central bank is there to stop it.  They do not have to lodge complaints with their bosses. They can just come to the central bank," the governor said pointing to the central bank's seriousness in ensuring women participation, capacity building and dealing day to day affairs with a view to ensuring favourable working environment in banking sector.
But he feels that measures he has taken to promote the cause of women need to be continued. "I will not be here all the time. I have laid the foundation.. given the policy. I hope all those will be pursued to ensure women's economic emancipation."