Bangladesh Bank has recently issued a new dress code for all officers and employees, emphasizing on wearing ‘elegant and professional’ attire. The new directive was issued by Human Resources Division-2 on July 21 and is effective immediately.
Dress Code for Female Employees
The circular states that female employees should wear—
- Sari
- Salwar-kameez with a headscarf
- or other elegant and professional attire
The attire should be plain in color and elegant, and formal shoes or sandals may be worn. However, it is advised to refrain from wearing short sleeves, short-length dresses and leggings.
Although there is no obligation to wear a hijab or scarf, female employees can wear it casually if they wish.
Instructions for Male Employees
For male officers, it has been prescribed—
- Full-sleeved or half-sleeved formal shirts
- Formal pants
It is mandatory to wear formal shoes or sandals. Jeans and gabardine pants have been completely banned.
The circular states that violation of the prescribed dress code will be considered as breach of discipline and necessary action will be taken. Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H. Mansur expressed surprise after learning about the matter. Speaking to The Business Standard, he said,
‘আমি এ খবর দেখে বিস্মিত। আমি বর্তমানে দেশের বাইরে আছি, শিগগিরই বিষয়টি খতিয়ে দেখব।’
Translation: “I am surprised to see this news. I am currently out of the country, I will look into the matter soon.”
In this matter, Arif Hossain, Executive Director and Spokesperson of the Central Bank, said,
‘প্রতিষ্ঠানে পোশাকে সমতা ও ঐক্য নিশ্চিত করা এবং কোনো মানসিক অস্বস্তি এড়ানোই এর উদ্দেশ্য।পেশাগত পরিবেশে পুরুষ ও নারী উভয়ের জন্যই মার্জিত পোশাক বাধ্যতামূলক । ‘
Translation: “The purpose is to ensure equality and unity in dress in the organization and to avoid any psychological discomfort. Elegant attire is mandatory for both men and women in a professional environment. ”
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He further said,
‘নারী কর্মীদের ছোট হাতা বা ছোট দৈর্ঘ্যের পোশাক ও লেগিংস পরা থেকে বিরত থাকতে বলা হয়েছে। তবে কাউকে হিজাব পরতে বলা বা বাধ্য করা হয়নি।’
Translation: “Female workers have been asked to refrain from wearing short-sleeved or short-length dresses and leggings. However, no one has been asked or forced to wear a hijab.”
Asked whether anyone was wearing inappropriate clothing before the directive, the spokesperson said, “No, no one was.”
So why was such a directive needed? He replied, “Now, 200-250 newly recruited officers join Bangladesh Bank in each batch, who have just completed university. Many of them still display the behavior of university life. So this circular has been issued to build mutual relations between junior and senior officers at all levels.”
According to the spokesperson, currently, 200-250 new officers are being recruited in Bangladesh Bank in each batch, who have just completed their university life. Many of them are still experiencing the behavioral effects of university life. In this context, the circular has been issued to maintain harmony, discipline and professionalism among officers at all levels.
This dress code was adopted in the recent monthly meeting of the Benefits and Administration Wing of the Human Resources Department. As per the decision of the meeting, it is mentioned in clause 11(c) that except for employees wearing prescribed uniforms of C and D categories, all others should wear socially acceptable, professional and elegant clothes.
In addition, the circular reiterates the need to follow the code of conduct towards female colleagues as per clause 39 of the Bangladesh Bank Employees Rules, 2003. The circular clearly states that any complaint of sexual harassment should be submitted to the designated committee under the Human Resources Department within 30 working days.
Source: TBS
