Women’s employment in banking sector drops in 2025

The number of women working in the country’s banking sector declined in 2025 despite years of steady growth, with 2,588 female officials and employees leaving the sector during the year, according to a report by the Bangladesh Bank.

Data from the central bank’s Gender Equity Report shows that the number of female employees fell by 721 during the second half of the year (July-December), following a sharp decline in the first six months of 2025.

As of December 2025, the total number of women working in the banking sector stood at 35,061, down from 35,782 in June. The figure was significantly higher at 37,649 in December 2024.

Bankers say the decline followed the central bank’s dissolution of the boards of several banks, leading to voluntary resignations and terminations.

The report indicates that although private commercial banks employ the largest number of female employees, foreign banks lead in terms of women’s participation rate compared with men.

Currently, private commercial banks employ 22,983 women, accounting for 16.13% of their total workforce. However, these banks collectively employ around 66% of all female workers in the banking sector.

In the six state-owned banks, the number of female employees stands at 9,147, representing 16.90% of their total workforce. Foreign banks employ the smallest number of women – 984 – but have the highest participation rate at 25.03%.

By the end of December 2025, the total number of officials and employees in the banking sector reached 2,12,427, with women making up 16.50% of the workforce.

The report notes that the number of female employees increased slightly in state-owned banks, while it declined marginally in specialised commercial banks and foreign banks. However, the drop was most notable in private commercial banks.

A senior official at the Bangladesh Bank told TBS that after the fall of the government led by Sheikh Hasina, several bank boards were reconstituted under the interim administration, prompting many employees to resign voluntarily.

He added that irregularities had been detected in recruitment processes at several banks over the past year, leading to job dismissals, while new hiring also slowed.

Participation at different levels

Women’s participation at the board level of banks remains relatively low at 13.11%. Among different categories, foreign banks have the highest female representation on boards at 16.95%, while state-owned banks have the lowest at 3.64%.

Women account for 17.07% of employees at the entry level and 16.19% at the mid-level, but their share drops to 10.35% in senior positions.

Age-wise, women aged below 30 represent 21.22% of female employees in the sector, while those above 50 account for only 10.92%.

The report also highlights that employee turnover among female staff is particularly high in foreign banks, reaching 29.59%, compared with the overall sector turnover rate of 17.07%.

At present, all 61 scheduled banks and 35 financial institutions in the country provide six months of maternity leave. While all banks have policies to prevent sexual harassment, only 38 banks and six financial institutions operate childcare centres. In addition, 38 banks offer transport facilities for female employees.