Recently, several hundred employees were terminated from private banks including Al-Arafah and First Security Islami Bank. Allegations of irregularities in the recruitment processes since 2021 prompted the banks to conduct internal assessments aimed at regularizing appointments. According to bank authorities, only those who failed the assessments were dismissed. In this context, a screenshot of a purported news report titled “Large-Scale Layoffs Planned at Islami Bank” — allegedly published by the mainstream daily Prothom Alo — has been circulating on social media platform Facebook.

The circulated report claims that Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited (IBBL) is preparing for significant layoffs. It states that an internal examination will be held on August 29, 2025, potentially jeopardizing the positions of officers appointed after 2017. The report also alleges that up to 6,000 officers may face termination based on the outcome of this examination.

Fact-check

An investigation by the Rumor Scanner team reveals that Prothom Alo has not published any such report. In fact, a fabricated screenshot, designed using Prothom Alo’s logo, is being shared on Facebook. However, information regarding an upcoming internal examination scheduled for August 29 at Islami Bank — potentially linked to employee dismissal — has been found in other media sources.

The Rumor Scanner began by examining the circulated report and noted that it lacked a publication date. A review of Prothom Alo’s official website, Facebook page, and YouTube channel yielded no evidence of such a report.

Additionally, the circulated report differs significantly from Prothom Alo’s authentic publications. There are discrepancies in font style and layout between the two. The design pattern of the circulated content does not match Prothom Alo’s standard format.

Further investigation into Islami Bank’s examination led to the discovery of a video news report published on August 20 on the Facebook page of Kaler Kantho.

This report states that a conversation among Islami Bank officials recently went viral on social media, in which discussions about employee layoffs were heard. According to the report, a letter was issued by the bank’s top management on August 14, informing staff of a scheduled examination titled “Conducting Special Competency Assessment for Employees of the Bank.” The report claims that the bank has decided to proceed with layoffs based on the results of this examination, which is slated to take place on August 29.

In summary, Prothom Alo has not published any report claiming large-scale layoffs at Islami Bank. Therefore, the report circulated under the headline “Large-Scale Layoffs Planned at Islami Bank” in the name of Prothom Alo is false and fabricated.

Source: https://rumorscanner.com/fact-check/islami-bank-staff-layoff-report-falsely-attributed-to-prothom-alo/164550