BRPD Circular Letter No. 24: Inclusion of Passing Banking Professional Exam (Former Banking Diploma Examination) in the Promotion Policy of Officers as Mandatory Requirement

Bangladesh Bank
Head Office
Motijheel, Dhaka-1000
Bangladesh.
Ref No.: BRPD-Regulation & Policy Division
23 July 2023
BRPD Circular Letter No.-24 Date: ------------------- 08 Srabon 1430 Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer All Scheduled Banks operating in Bangladesh.
Dear Sir,
Regarding the inclusion of passing the Banking Professional Examination (formerly Banking Diploma Examination) in the Officer Promotion Policy as a mandatory requirement.

Reference is drawn to BRPD Circular No.-03 dated 08 February 2023 on the subject mentioned above.

2. Through the aforementioned circular, passing the Banking Diploma (renamed as Banking Professional Examination) organized by The Institute of Bankers, Bangladesh (IBB) was made mandatory for inclusion in the list of qualifications for promotion to Senior Officer or equivalent positions and all subsequent positions, with the aim of enhancing the skills, qualifications, and capabilities of bank officers.

3. Currently, the curriculum of the Banking Professional Examination has been updated to include extensive theoretical and practical knowledge consistent with modern banking practices, making it contemporary. It has been observed that a specific period is necessary for bankers to acquire comprehensive knowledge of this revised curriculum. In light of this, to resolve the complexities arising in the promotion of officers currently serving as Senior Officers or equivalent positions, the following instructions shall be followed:

(a) Bank officers who were recruited or promoted immediately prior to the issuance of BRPD Circular No.-03/2023 will be exempted from the obligation to pass the Banking Professional Examination for promotion to a position one step above the position they held at that time. However, for promotion to the next position thereafter, the instructions specified in the circular must strictly be complied with;

(b) Any officer currently serving as a Senior Officer or equivalent position or higher in a bank or financial institution must pass the Banking Professional Examination when seeking recruitment to a relatively higher position in another bank. However, officers of banks/financial institutions who were recruited or promoted immediately prior to the issuance of BRPD Circular No.-03/2023 will be exempted from the obligation to pass the Banking Professional Examination when recruited to another bank for a position immediately one step above the position they held. Regarding recruitment to the position of Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer, the relevant policy guidelines shall be followed; and

(c) Officers of various departments who were exempted from the obligation to pass the Banking Professional Examination under BRPD Circular No.-03/2023 must pass the Banking Professional Examination when posted to any department related to general banking operations.

4. Furthermore, other instructions of BRPD Circular No.-03/2023 shall remain unchanged.

5. These instructions are issued under the powers conferred by Section 45 of the Bank Companies Act, 1991.

Yours faithfully,
(Mohammad Shahriar Siddique)
Director (BRPD)
Phone: 9530252