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Bangiya Gramin Vikash Bank Terminates 143 Casual Workers; AIRRBEA Calls for Immediate Reinstatement
Bangiya Gramin Vikash Bank terminates 143 casual workers amid legal dispute. AIRRBEA affiliated Officers' union condemns move, demands immediate reversal and reinstatement.
Author: Saurav Kumar
Published: 20 hours ago
The Bangiya Gramin Vikash Bank (BGVB) has terminated the services of 143 casual workers across its branches, citing a directive from the Head Office. The workers, many of whom had been serving as Badli Messengers or sub-staff for decades, were dismissed with immediate effect through official notices dated April 21, 2025.
Casual Workers Terminated Amid Legal Action
According to one such termination letter addressed to a casual worker at BGVB’s Pakhanna Branch in Bankura, the conclusion of services was enforced based on instructions from the Chief Manager (HR), vide order number BGVB/HO/HR/468/2025-26 dated April 19, 2025.
The letter stated, “You are hereby advised not to come to this office for work as Casual Worker in the post of Sub Staff with immediate effect. This is as per instruction of higher authorities.”
The move comes shortly after several of the affected workers reportedly filed a writ petition before the Calcutta High Court seeking regularisation of their services.
Officers’ Association Condemns Decision as ‘Inhuman’
Reacting sharply, the AIRRBEA affiliated Bangiya Gramin Vikash Bank Officers’ Association (BGVBOA) issued a strong statement on April 23, condemning the mass termination as “unconstitutional, unethical and detrimental to the bank’s image.”
In a letter to the Chairman of BGVB, the General Secretary of BGVBOA, Tarun Chakraborty, wrote, “Sudden retrenchment or termination of 143 poor casual workers by stigmatising them as lacking integrity simply because they sought legal recourse is not only unconstitutional and unlawful, but also inhuman and obnoxious.”
The association further stated that these workers have been integral to the bank’s functioning for years—often decades—contributing significantly to NPA recovery, business development, and customer service.
“This errant action may cause huge social turmoil in the area of this Bank and the business may be adversely affected apart from local disturbances and loss of image of the Bank,” the letter warned.
Demand for Immediate Review and Reinstatement
BGVBOA has requested the immediate withdrawal of the termination order and has appealed to the Chairman for humanitarian reconsideration. The letter has also been marked to the General Secretaries of AIRRBEA and other affiliated unions.
The incident raises serious concerns about labour rights and the treatment of long-serving informal employees in the rural banking sector. As the bank grapples with the backlash, union leaders have vowed to continue their protests until the decision is reversed. The situation mirrors a similar case at Utkal Grameen Bank, where 350 daily wage sub-staff were abruptly terminated. However, following Kanal’s report, the decision was swiftly reversed, leading to their reinstatement within days—highlighting the power of collective action and media intervention in safeguarding workers' rights.
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