I was on leave for a day. I planned to sleep till noon but my father called and asked me to cash a check from his account and deposit the amount to his cousin’s account. He was on a trip to his native village and most likely needed the money for the house he was building there. I went out of bed, took the check from my mother and went to the bank in a t-shirt and flip-flops.

My father’s salary account was with a nationalized bank and all his post-retirement benefits were deposited to that account. In countries like Bangladesh, Government officials very often consider themselves to be Gods or something of the sort. I knew what kind of service I was going to get. I walked to the counter and handed the check over the person sitting there. There was no other customer at that counter at that time. That person looked at the check for a while then looked at me with great suspicion. I really don’t know the reason, if he wanted to verify the check he could have done it instantly I believe. Then he asked whose check it was. “My father’s” I replied. Then another suspicious look, I regretted not getting shaved in the morning. “Is your father alive?” I was not sure if I should get offended. “Yes”, I replied nonetheless. “Call your father”, I was irritated by that time, I myself used to work for a bank at that time. “How would you be sure that the person I called is my father?” I asked gently while making the call. A simple remark like that made that young man infuriated. My father received the call and I stretched my hand to give the phone to him but he pushed my hand away and said: “your father needs to submit a written withdrawal request before cashing a check at least a day early”. I had been a bank employee for at least 4 years then and never heard of any such rule. “Show me the circular”, I raised my voice. He said he was not bound to show me anything and he had the liberty not to accept the check. I asked for a return slip (a piece of signed paper that mentions why the check has been bounced), I was denied once again. I could have gone to the manager but things could have gone even worse. I left, humiliated and worried, the amount was not big but certainly, my father was in need of that. Having no other option, I withdrew the amount from my own account and sent it to my father.

However, that young me decided not to give up. I called the complain cell of the central bank. They suggested sending an e-mail mentioning everything in detail. I did that then made another complaint at that bank’s complain cell. I was not very hopeful because as I said, Government institutions very often are above the law here. To my surprise, I received a call from the head office of the bank the next morning. I was told to visit the branch again and meet the manager directly. A minute later the manager called himself to apologize and asked me to meet him at his office. So, I went there clean shaved and with my business suit on. The manager made that officer apologize and cash the check. He then requested me to withdraw the complaint from the central bank that I denied as there certainly were other people receiving the same poor service from his branch.

I really don’t know if they have improved their service quality lately but happy that I don’t have to maintain my account with them.