6 point demand including reinstatement of dismissed officers of Sonali Life

He made this demand on Wednesday (July 10) at the company's head office in the capital's Malibagh for the second day. The agitating officers issued a memorandum calling for the implementation of the demands. The memorandum strongly protested the various steps taken by the administration in the last 2 months.

According to the memorandum, Sonali Life is on the brink of destruction due to unethical, unintended, misguided measures. All FAs, UMs and BMs have to pay their dues quickly to get out of this situation. A full audit should be done quickly by an independent audit company and the report should be published. In implementing the salary policy, the existing facilities of other life insurance companies should be taken into consideration and the rules of the insurance development and regulatory authorities should be followed promptly.

Additional Managing Director Md. Rafiqul Islam, Deputy Managing Director Muhammad Abdullahil Kafi, Deputy Managing Director Golam Mostafa, Assistant Managing Director Syed Md. Azim and Assistant Managing Director. Manzoor Morshed should be reinstated as soon as possible. In order to restore the normal working environment of the head office, the activities of the armed Ansar members appointed for the implementation of the special objectives must be stopped and no arbitrary action can be implemented beyond the Article 95(1) of the IDRA Administrative Appointment Letter.

The protestors alleged that after taking charge in the last week of April, the administrator of the institution, Brigadier General (retired) SM Ferdous, has been busy spreading fear among everyone by taking controversial decisions one after another. Starting from withholding the commission money of about 27 thousand insurance workers across the country, then threatening to file a lawsuit with colleagues in the name of dedicated workers of various departments including IT, verbally issuing show cause notices to officials, breaking all past customs and deducting their own salary of Tk 5 lakh, with bonuses. 3 lakhs more, giving employment to a retired army officer as DMD without advertising in newspapers, withholding June salaries of 17 top executives and 33 drivers, 4 former army colleagues appointed as DMDs, including 4 former colleagues in the army with an average salary of Tk 2 lakhs, 1 month after being appointed to Sonali Life. The administrator gave festival allowance outside the rules.

He ordered the demolition of canteens set up to provide subsidized food to low-paid workers and accommodate armed Ansars.

He arranged for the accommodation of 2 Ansars and personal security guards of the administrator in the accommodation built to house the executives and branch managers from all over the country. On July 7, the acting managing director of Sonali Life Insurance, including Rafiqul Islam, dismissed the top 5 executives. Administrator retired Brigadier General SM Ferdous had on June 25 issued a show cause notice to the 5 officials for writing to the Minister of State for Finance seeking redress and destroying Sonali Life by interfering beyond his jurisdiction.

In view of various complaints against the administrator, the field workers and officers working in and around Dhaka gathered in front of Sonali Life's head office (extended). At that time, they demanded the removal of the administrator and the responsibility of the company in the hands of the board of directors.

He said that there is no customer complaint against Sonali Life so far. Customer claims are paid on time. However, IDRA has appointed an administrator in Sonali Life on the complaint of undermining the interests of customers. This appointment was illegal.

He also said that the High Court had given two months to the administrator for investigation. It has been there for 3 months but the investigation is still not over. Also, to destroy Sonali Life, employees' salaries and allowances have been stopped, sales policies have been stopped. Sonali Life's business has halved in the last 3 months due to admin inefficiency.

Sohel Rahman said, we are holding this rally peacefully. The charge of disobeying the administrator and breach of discipline was made by the law administrator himself. He is sacking us by going beyond the IDRA Act. He (administrator) has stopped the salaries and allowances of the officers and employees, discontinued the sales policy and is laying off the officers and employees to implement his own agenda.