AGARATLA, Aug 18 (TIWN): The privatization fear has gripped the bankers tightly as they have again sat to remind that on Aug 22, bankers will hold a strike for the whole day.

The demonstration was staged at Paradise Chowmuhani, Agartala voicing against Modi Govt's attempt of privatizing banking sectors.

 The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) has decided to strike work on August 22.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the UFBU held in Mumbai in the month of June and following the nationwide strike, state bank in Tripura will also go for shutdown on that day.

Ahead of August 22, the UFBU said that it proposes to launch other forms of agitation from July 19, the bank nationalization day. It wants an immediate stop to moves aimed at merger of banks and their privatization.

The Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill in its current form is another matter of contention. The UFBU wants this Bill scrapped altogether. It also opposed all ‘moves’ to write off corporate loans.

While demanding that wilful defaulters be declared as criminals, it wanted the government to implement recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee in the matter of resolving the issue of non-performing assets (NPAs).

The UFBU criticized what it called moves to pass on the NPA burden to customers in the form of service charges. It further demanded that the GST rate of 15 per cent on banking services be rolled back.

Reimbursement of expenses incurred during the demonetization and Jan Dhan campaigns was another major demand. Employees need to be paid extra for working on holidays and sitting later hours during demonetization, said the Bankers.