CIRCULAR No. 30/43/2026/76 13-10-2026
To Office Bearers, State Federations and
All India Bankwise Federations, All Unions
Dear Comrades,
117th Birthday of our beloved leader
COM. PRABHAT KAR
We are highly indebted to him
Today, on the 117th Birthday of our beloved and respected leader, the main architect of our AIBEA, Com. Prabath Kar, bank employees of our country in general, and particularly the members of AIBEA and AIBOA always remember him for his outstanding contributions to the trade union movement of bank employees and officers.
He was the General Secretary of Bengal Provincial Bank Employees Association. He was the General Secretary of AIBEA from 1953 to 1980 and President from 1980 to 1984 till his death. He was the founder President of AIBOA from 1981 to 1984. He was a Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) for 2 terms from 1957 to 1967.
We can write pages and pages about his lifelong sacrifices and contributions to our movement. The system of Bipartite Settlements that we enjoy today was due to his visionary leadership. Achievement of nationalisation of major private Banks belonging to Tatas and Birlas was due to his visionary leadership. The broad-based democratic structure of AIBEA is due to his visionary leadership. The working-class ideology that we have imbibed in AIBEA and AIBOA is due to his visionary leadership. That is why we adore him as the builder of our strong organisation.
Victimisation of Com. Prabhat Kar: In West Bengal, Central Bank of India Employees Association placed a Charter of Demands on the management in 1947. As expected, there was no response from the Central Bank management. Hence the issues were referred to a Tribunal. Mr. S.K. Sen, ICS was appointed as the Adjudicator. He gave the Award in December, 1947 to be effective from 1-1-1948.
Management was not implementing the Award for one reason or the other and the benefits of the Award was denied to the employees. Hence CBIEA, West Bengal started indefinite strike from 5th August, 1948. Strike went on but management did not relent.
Hence on 11th August, 1948, Bengal Provincial Bank Employees Association held a meeting and gave the call for SOLIDARITY STRIKE by all bank employees on 17th August, 1948.
Newspapers reported that all the 350 Branches of Indian and foreign banks were affected. Bank employees were arrested by the Police for obstructing public roads. This strike was a grand success and created pressure on the Central Bank management.
Result : Central Bank management agreed to implement the Award.
It was a victory for the Union. So our members celebrated the victory.
But,
Lloyds Bank management was angry.
They made a complaint to the State Government seeking permission to prosecute Com Prabhat Kar for the illegal strike.
The Government promptly gave permission to prosecute Com Prabhat Kar.
Court proceedings were held and the Court gave its verdict that the strike was illegal.
Hence Com. Prabhat Kar was convicted.
Immediately, the Lloyds Bank management dismissed Com Prabhat Kar.
Com. Prabhat Kar, thus, lost his job at the young age of 38 for extending support and solidarity for Central Bank employees.
This did not deter or scare Com Prabhat Kar. He went on with double vigour and built up a very strong AIBEA.
After this Solidarity Strike in 1948, AIBEA has organised hundreds of strikes in the last 78 years.
But managements or the Government did not dare to punish anyone.
This is because of the strong and mighty AIBEA that Com Prabhat Kar built up.
Com. Prabhat Kar was victimised by the management. He sacrificed his job and suffered a lot. But all of us remain safe and secure under the banner of AIBEA built up by Com Prabhat Kar. We shall remain indebted to him forever for his invaluable and matchless contributions to AIBEA. He shall ever remain our inspiration and motivation.
That first Solidarity Strike organised by Com. Prabhat Kar on 17th August, 1948 makes us to understand the essence, the core of AIBEA : One for all – All for one.
On his birthday today, let us remember him and take the pledge that we shall remain more united and strengthen our Unions at all levels. That will be the befitting tribute to this Titan.
