Four depositors of National Bank PLC have moved the High Court after allegedly being denied withdrawals against cheques despite having sufficient funds in their respective bank accounts.
The depositors claimed that they submitted cheques at their respective branches on September 17 but the bank authorities neither processed the cheques nor made the payments, without providing any clear explanation. They subsequently filed a writ petition before the High Court under Article 102 of the Constitution, seeking legal remedy. The writ petition has been numbered Writ Petition No. 13668 of 2026.
In the petition, the applicants sought a rule asking why the bank’s failure to allow them to withdraw their legally deposited funds should not be declared unlawful and without lawful authority.
According to the writ petition, Md. Shamim Ahmed, a customer of National Bank’s Bhaluka Branch in Mymensingh, submitted a cheque for Tk 220,000, cheque No. 4871684, but was unable to withdraw the money.
On the same day, Nasima Begum, a customer of the bank’s Mirzapur SME Branch in Tangail, submitted a cheque for Tk 30,000, cheque No. NSB-K 7236432, but was also unable to access the funds.
The petition further states that Lucky Akter, a customer of the Mirzapur SME Agriculture Branch, and Mst. Sathi Begum, a customer of the Mirzapur Branch, faced similar difficulties in withdrawing money from their accounts.
The applicants said that, after failing to obtain a remedy from the bank, they lodged written complaints by email with the Customer Interest Protection Centre and the Financial Integrity and Customer Service Department of Bangladesh Bank. They claimed, however, that no effective or immediate action was taken in response to their complaints.
The four depositors subsequently approached the High Court seeking an opportunity to access their own savings to meet their day-to-day financial needs.
Md. Shamim Ahmed has been appointed as the authorised representative of the four applicants in the case. The writ petition is being conducted on behalf of the applicants by Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Maruf Ul Abed.