Continuous Protests Demand Leadership Change at SDF, Demonstration Held Near World Bank Office

The ongoing protest movement demanding the removal of the Chairman and Managing Director (MD) of the Social Development Foundation (SDF) has intensified, as officials and employees staged a human chain and demonstration near the World Bank office in the capital on Monday.

The protest, organized by the “SDF Employees Unity Council,” entered its seventh consecutive day. Employees involved in the “Resilience Entrepreneurship and Livelihood Improvement (RELI)” project under the Financial Institutions Division of the Ministry of Finance are leading the movement.

Earlier, demonstrators held sit-in programs at the SDF headquarters and in front of the National Press Club before gathering near the World Bank area to press home their demands.

During the human chain, speakers accused SDF Chairman Abdul Majid and Managing Director Nurul Amin of corruption, authoritarian practices, and administrative inefficiency.

Abdul Latif, coordinator of the protest program, said the RELI project had undergone seven mission reviews so far. According to him, the first six reviews received positive evaluations, while the most recent assessment rated the project as “Moderately Unsatisfactory.” He also claimed that the World Bank’s observation report highlighted the deterioration of the organization’s internal working environment.

The protesters alleged that experienced administrative officials were overlooked in the appointment of the MD, and that Nurul Amin, an officer from the audit cadre, was appointed instead. They further claimed that the Board Chairman belongs to the same cadre and used his influence to appoint a preferred candidate in violation of standard procedures.

The demonstrators also raised concerns over the relocation of the SDF headquarters to the BNF building without displaying any official signboard. They alleged that there is an attempt to merge SDF with BNF, which could result in significant workforce downsizing. According to them, information regarding the matter is being deliberately withheld from employees.

In addition, protesters accused the SDF leadership of financial irregularities, misuse of institutional resources, and violations of recruitment policies.

One of the major allegations centers on the procurement of 3,200 laptops under the RELI project. Employees claimed that the lowest bid worth Tk 160 million was rejected in favor of purchasing low-quality laptops from a questionable company at nearly double the price, resulting in alleged embezzlement of Tk 150–160 million. They said the matter is currently under investigation by the World Bank.

A large number of officials and employees from the head office as well as district and cluster offices joined the demonstration.

The protesters declared that their movement would continue until the Chairman and Managing Director resign. They also called for intervention from the government’s higher authorities to ensure transparency and protect the reputation of the organization.