Parvez Tamal, Chairman of NRBC Bank, once known as a close ally of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has reportedly shifted his stance following the resignation of the Awami government on August 5. Tamal, who had been accused of exploiting political power for financial misdeeds during the Awami regime, is now aligning himself with student activists in a bid to protect his position.
Previously, Tamal had threatened NRBC Bank employees with termination if they supported or joined the quota reform movement. He also warned of administrative harassment for any Facebook posts or comments related to the movement. However, after the fall of the Awami government, Tamal has been providing financial support to the very student protesters he once opposed, in an attempt to distance himself from his controversial past.
An investigation by Orthosongbad revealed that during the anti-quota movement, Tamal worked on behalf of Sheikh Hasina, even monitoring NRBC Bank staff to ensure they did not participate in the protests. On July 17, under his directive, a warning was sent to all branch managers of the bank, cautioning them about the movement. Documents related to this have surfaced during the investigation.
A directive from NRBC Bank instructed all its officers and employees to refrain from joining any assembly related to the quota reform movement or sharing any comments, posts, or information about it on social media. The email from the bank’s HR department, titled ‘C,’ warned that any violation of this order would result in administrative action in accordance with HR policies. The directive also emphasized ensuring maximum security in and around the bank and required employees to be punctual in reporting to work.
Sources suggest that NRBC Bank Chairman Parvez Tamal, in an attempt to secure his position, has been trying to win over the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement. This speculation gained traction after a recent event where Tamal handed over a cheque for 5 million BDT from the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund to Hasanat Abdullah, one of the coordinators of the student protests. The donation, aimed at providing treatment and rehabilitation for injured protesters, has sparked widespread criticism on social media. Many are questioning Tamal’s sudden shift, given his previous ties to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and his outspoken opposition to the student movement.
At the donation event, Parvez Tamal remarked that NRBC Bank would support the dreams of those building a “new Bangladesh.” In addition to providing medical assistance to the injured, he pledged future employment opportunities and scholarships for injured students. NRBC Bank also committed to offering jobs to able-bodied members of families affected by the protests. These promises mark a stark contrast to Tamal’s previous stance, where he had vocally supported Sheikh Hasina and opposed the student protests.
Attempts to reach Hasanat Abdullah, one of the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, for a comment were unsuccessful. Despite multiple calls from Orthosongbad office to his mobile phone, there was no response. Similarly, efforts to contact another coordinator, Sarjis Alam, also failed to yield any comments.
However, former law student of Dhaka University and social media figure Syed Abdullah shared his thoughts on Facebook, stating that NRBC Bank Chairman Parvez Tamal is on a mission to secure his position by ingratiating himself with the students, thereby improving his image. Abdullah urged immediate investigations by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and journalists into the activities of Tamal and his associates.
Orthosongbad made several attempts to contact NRBC Bank Chairman Parvez Tamal for comments, but no response was received.
Sources claim that Parvez Tamal, in his efforts to support the Hasina government, has distributed various donations through the bank, both publicly and covertly. Among these are scholarships in the name of Bangabandhu, a special issue of “Planet” magazine focused on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s life and legacy, donations to the Bangabandhu Memorial Trust, contributions to the Bangabandhu Youth Fair, and charity books and iftar events around Bangabandhu’s birthday. Additionally, the bank had provided significant funds for Sheikh Hasina’s Ashrayan Project.
Parvez Tamal, who claims to be a Russian oligarch and served as the president of the Russia Bangabandhu Parishad, has been implicated in various financial irregularities, including loan fraud, commission schemes, recruitment corruption, stock manipulation, money laundering, and the embezzlement of funds. During the tenure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Tamal reportedly leveraged his connections with senior leaders of the Awami League to engage in these activities.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had previously launched an investigation into Parvez Tamal, chairman of NRBC Bank, following allegations of irregular salary increases for select officials. The investigation stemmed from a complaint by a sponsor shareholder of the bank. Tamal reportedly bypassed the banking regulations, awarding significant salary increments to 27 officials while ignoring over 3,800 employees. Additionally, Tamal and his personal secretary, Asif Iqbal, allegedly pocketed excessive fees from board meetings, violating the country’s banking laws. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that Tamal had set up an unauthorized entity, NRBC Management, without approval from Bangladesh Bank. However, the investigation was abruptly halted, allegedly due to Tamal’s political influence.
In a separate case filed on July 11, 2023, the ACC accused 14 individuals, including 11 NRBC Bank officials, of money laundering and providing unlawful loans. The lawsuit alleges that the accused embezzled approximately 78 crore BDT (including interest) by issuing loans without proper collateral. Additionally, 5.97 crore BDT worth of export proceeds were reportedly laundered without being repatriated to Bangladesh. Tamal was implicated in this fraudulent activity but reportedly used his political connections to suppress the investigation.
Further details of this ongoing investigation will be disclosed in subsequent reports by Orthosongbad.
