Agricultural Bank workers released after overnight detention over sit-in
Police released two fired Agricultural Bank of Egypt employees early Wednesday after detaining them during a 10-hour sit-in at the Dokki headquarters to protest mass dismissals, colleagues told Al Manassa. The protest marked the latest escalation in a multi-year struggle by former staff seeking reinstatement following widespread contract terminations.
The workers lodged formal notifications with the presidency, the Ministry of Interior, and the Prosecutor General before occupying the branch on Tuesday morning. The action highlights growing labor unrest surrounding state-backed corporate restructuring, as hundreds of former employees fight arbitrary dismissals dating back to 2020.
Demonstrators maintained a peaceful presence inside the building without disrupting operations, despite bank security attempting to force them out. Requests to meet with the bank’s chairman or his deputies were rejected, prompting management to file an official complaint with law enforcement.
The sit-in followed more than a year of failed attempts to secure reinstatement, including previous protests and unfulfilled requests to meet with bank officials, a second source noted. The source added that the bank’s CEO, Mohamed Abou El-Saoud, canceled a scheduled meeting with several fired employees in June 2025.
Dokki police officers arrived at the headquarters around 7:00 pm on Tuesday and escorted two workers to the station for questioning. Although authorities promised a swift release, the pair remained in custody until 3:00 am Wednesday.
Following their release, the two workers told their colleagues they were interrogated about the sit-in’s motives. They explained the plight of the fired staff and their repeated attempts to meet the bank’s chairman to the station commander, who reportedly showed understanding and promised to submit a memo to the bank’s chairman to explore a resolution.
The dispute stems from a wave of contract terminations between 2020 and 2022 that affected approximately 2,000 employees across various branches. Affected staff previously said the dismissals were issued without prior notice or formal investigation, even for those on open-ended contracts or with over 20 years of service.
Former employees linked the sudden downsizing policy to the appointment of Alaa Farouk as bank chairman in February 2020, prior to his appointment as Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. Some workers noted their terminations directly followed successful court rulings requiring the bank to pay delayed 20% bonuses.
Dozens of employees protested outside the Dokki headquarters on April 27, 2025, followed by three more demonstrations that May. Workers noted they were forced to disperse during some protests following police intervention and were repeatedly blocked from meeting the chairman despite waiting for hours. Legally, several dismissed workers filed lawsuits before the Labor Court; some secured compensation rulings, while others had their cases dismissed, and several remain pending.
In September 2022, the Center for Trade Union and Workers Services and the Committee for the Defense of Trade Union Freedoms and Labor Rights announced their support for the fired employees. They urged authorities to intervene, investigate the alleged infractions, and reinstate the workers.
In 2016, the House of Representatives approved a presidential decree transforming the Principal Bank for Development and Agricultural Credit into a public sector bank named the Agricultural Bank of Egypt. The decree established the bank as a wholly state-owned joint-stock company, operating under the Central Bank law and corporate regulations.