Bank lockers

Pulok Debnath, Galaha, Madhyanagar, Sunamganj

Many commercial banks of our country offer locker facility to the customers in exchange of a particular annual charge based on the size of the locker. The customers also feel very safe to deposit their personal belongings, mainly gold-ornaments and other important documents in the banks' safe deposit lockers considering the tight security ensured by the bank. But the recent heist of heading off with gold ornaments and other valuables, breaking open 75 lockers in BRAC Bank's Dhanmondi branch, has startled the customers as to how safe their belongings kept in the safe deposits of the banks are.

A crucial question arises who will take the responsibility of such mishaps. If the customer signs to abide by the terms and conditions like, “ the bank will not be held liable or responsible for any loss or damage to any article, document, or valuables deposited in the locker as a result of theft, robbery, fire or any other incident or pilferage,” the bank may shrug off the liability of compensating the customers. But what kind of law it is that cannot protect the customer's rights. The point is also to be noted whether the customers are properly informed and well aware of the meaning of the conditions signed by them.

If the customers are to go by such conditions, it is doubtful how many of them will come to the bank to avail the locker facility. In a sense, the customers are paying a premium to the bank in the form of the yearly charge to make their assets kept in the bank risk-free. Why do they further need to insure the contents of the locker by taking out appropriate insurance cover? If the customers are to bear the loss of any accidents taking place in the bank's premises or vault, it is easily understandable how insecure their assets are there. But what happens in case of the deposited money of the customers?

If any amount of money of the customers is taken away from the bank's vault, the bank is liable to pay off the customers, as this loss is treated to be bank's own operational loss and the customer's deposit is the bank's liability.

Of course, the customers do not need to sign to follow the terms and conditions similar to that of safe deposit while opening bank account for banking transactions.

A basic difference between the customers' deposited money and the valuables stored in the safe deposit is that the bank can earn by investing the customers' deposited amount, but it cannot invest the customers' stuffs placed in the lockers. Is this why the banks do not assume any responsibility or liability on any count and the locker is hired at the lessee's own risk and liability?

Moreover, if the customer claims compensation for their loss, it cannot be estimated by the bank because the bank does not know the real value of the items kept in a locker.

However, the matter deserves a closer look since the customers' right to security cannot be ignored.