BB issues dress code mandate for all employees

Bangladesh Bank has formally introduced a new dress code policy for all its officers and staff members, mandating professional and modest attire in line with workplace discipline and institutional decorum.

According to a directive issued by the Human Resources Department-2 on Monday (21 Jluy), female employees are instructed to wear sarees, salwar-kameez with orna, or other appropriate professional attire.

Short-sleeved or short-length dresses and leggings have been explicitly discouraged.

Headscarves or hijabs, if worn, must be of plain design and conservative colour.

For male employees, formal shirts (long or half-sleeved) with formal trousers are now compulsory, while jeans and gabardine pants are barred.

All employees, irrespective of gender, are required to wear formal shoes or sandals. Any violation of these instructions will be considered a breach of discipline.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Executive Director and Spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank Arif Hossain Khan said, “The goal is to ensure uniformity in appearance across the institution. The directive has been effective since July 21 and is aimed at maintaining equality, unity, and modesty among all staff members.”

He clarified that no one is being forced to wear a hijab.

“Those who choose to wear one must keep it simple. The instructions only apply to the office environment, not to personal spaces,” he added.

Asked whether inappropriate clothing had previously been an issue, Khan said no such cases had occurred.

“However, we’ve seen a noticeable behavioral shift among new recruits — often fresh graduates — some of whom still carry a campus-like attitude. After observing this trend for a while, we felt the need to issue a formal guideline,” he noted.

The policy was adopted as part of the departmental decisions taken at a recent meeting of the HR Division’s Benefits and Administration Wing. Clause 11(Gha) of the decision outlines the specifics of acceptable dress for all categories of officers and staff (except C and D class employees who already have designated uniforms), emphasizing socially appropriate, professional, and decent clothing.

The document also included additional behavioral and conduct-related guidelines:

Clause 11(Ka): Female employees must be treated in accordance with Clause 39 of the Bangladesh Bank Staff Regulations 2003; sexual harassment complaints must be submitted to the HR-1-designated committee within 30 working days.

Clause 11(kha): All staff must strictly follow official instructions regarding the use of social media.

Clause 11(Ga): A respectful, ethical, and disciplined work environment must be maintained, promoting punctuality, integrity, collegial respect, and cooperation.

Clause 12 of the directive requires that one officer in each office, division, unit, or project be designated to monitor compliance with these instructions.

Any deviation must be reported to the department head for further action, including disciplinary measures if needed.