Sarthak Kanjilal & Roney Antony
Port Blair, November 04: The unit of All India Bank Officers’ Confederation and State Bank of India Officers’ Association, Bengal Circle yesterday organized a Candle Light March to condole the unfortunate demise of Lt. Soma Biswas, Ex- Branch Manager, Bambooflat Branch, State Bank of India.
The march started from Gandhi Statue, Mohanpura at 06:00 pm and crossed Model School, Bengali Club via Clock Tower and culminated again at Gandhi Statue, Mohanpura. Hundreds of Officer Cadre staffs of State Bank of India and bank employees of other Public Sector as well as Private Banks, Port Blair, participated in the march.
According to Late Soma Biswas’s batch-mates in the bank, she was a very bold lady in personal as well as in professional life. Friends of Late Soma Biswas told Andaman Sheekha that she was so skilled that she took 03 promotions in a span of 8-9 years and they are literally in shock, on getting news of her suicide.
Later, talking to Andaman Sheekha the Family members of Late Soma Biswas alleged that she committed suicide by hanging herself inside the Bambooflat Branch on 27-10-2018 and the reason behind this is said to be tremendous work pressure and insulting attitude of her superiors against her.
According to her friends, she married just 04 months back with a SBI officer but for some unknown reasons, even after requesting the couple was not posted in the same center, which might also be the reason behind this extreme step.
Though the organized march was a peaceful Candle Light March but the placards in the hands of the bankers stated how stressful the banking job is.
Talking to Andaman Sheekha after the Candle Light March, family members of Late Soma Biswas demanded FIR in this case on the charge of Abetment to Suicide and action against those, for whom, Late Soma Biswas was under tremendous psychological stress. Family members alleged that her husband was posted in Diglipur and she was not grated leave even during Durga Puja. “Because of the work pressure she had to work till night 10. 00 PM in her branch and she was humiliated in several occasions infront of others during meetings. She wrote a suicide note before committing suicide and we demand that the suicide note must be made public and FIR must be lodged against responsible officers,” demanded a family member of Late Soma Biswas.
Work life balance is essential for individual performance. Individual performance of several employees make a team and team performance leads to higher quality of a Branch performance. Very disgusting story. The placard march must deter over-bearing superiors to deter repeating similar incidents. Teams must work efficiently rather in an unhuman working environment.
What is the latest? Has an FIR for abetment to suicide lodged?..What is the progress in this case?