Dhaka, Nov. 8 -- Bankers and financial-sector experts make a strong plea that interests of the small shareholders should be protected in the merger of five Islamic banks as the regulatory declaration nullifying their net asset value for past plunders beggared them.

The central bank had failed to regulate all the commercial banks properly with the result of the banking sector falling in vulnerabilities that impacted the small shareholders and depositors, they said at a graduation ceremony organised Friday by Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM).

Bankers and experts also feel there is no alternative but to confirm "absolute autonomy" of the Bangladesh Bank (BB) for ensuring financial governance, the growth of the financial secto...