Tezpur: Members of Assam Gramin Bank unions stage dharna over pending demands

OUR CORRESPONDENT

TEZPUR: Members of the Assam Gramin Bank Officers' Association and the Assam Gramin Bank Employees' Association on Tuesday staged a dharna in front of the Assam Gramin Bank Regional Office in Tezpur, pressing for their long-pending demands.

The protest was held in response to a nationwide call given by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), following a notice served by the RRBs' Apex Unions Forum on January 9, 2026. Members of various apex unions affiliated with Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) participated in the agitation, pressing for government approval to implement a five-day work schedule and to declare the remaining Saturdays as bank holidays.

The unions pointed out that the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) had already recommended a five-day work week based on Memorandums of Understanding signed with UFBU on December 7, 2023, and further endorsed through a Settlement/Joint Note dated March 8, 2024. However, formal approval from the Government of India is still awaited.

Protesters highlighted that several key financial and government institutions, including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Life Insurance Corporation (LIC), General Insurance Corporation (GIC), central and most state government offices, and stock exchanges, have long adopted a Monday-to-Friday work schedule. They noted that money markets and foreign exchange transactions also remain closed on weekends.

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