Situation: Civil Unrest
In August 2024, large-scale student-led protests erupted across Dhaka, Bangladesh, driven by growing discontent over job reservations and education policy reforms. These protests quickly intensified, particularly around diplomatic and commercial hubs. One of the impacted zones was Gulshan Ave, Dhaka, home to the country office of a leading international bank. As protests escalated, banking operations across the city faced disruption. Branches were temporarily shut, cash movement was halted, and operational continuity came under threat due to concerns over employee safety and civic restrictions.
Challenges
- Threats to employee safety and physical infrastructure due to proximity to protest sites
- Disruption of core banking operations including branch functioning, cash movement, and customer services
- Restricted staff mobility and supply chain delays due to transport blockades
- Risk of digital service interruptions due to potential internet restrictions or infrastructure damage
- Limited situational visibility and risk of escalation due to rapidly changing ground realities
How Did Datasurfr Help?
| Proactive Risk Management | The upcoming events section enables timely alerts on protests, likely turnout, and zones of potential unrest. The proximity alerts provided a snapshot of events happening across the Dhaka office – protests, riots, stampedes, blockades. The intelligence alerts provided the company with insights into historical patterns and key issues related to the protest. The concentration risk provided a list of 12 operational risks happening and the impact level of these risks. | The bank proactively enhanced perimeter security moved non-critical staff to work-from-home protocols and developed a comprehensive crisis communication plan. |
| Real-Time Response | Watch listing tool enabled the security and operations teams to track protest developments hour by hour. 24×7 intelligence analyst support provided round-the-clock assistance and in-depth intelligence information on request. Using risk analytics of assets, the company could do trend analysis to assess exposure across 12 key operational risk categories. | Activated emergency protocols, conducted alternative routes to ensure employee protection, and coordinated with external agencies. The bank could prepare proactively for potential escalation in civil disturbances by increasing redundancies, strengthening response protocols, and ensuring business continuity measures are in place. |
Impact
- 80% improvement in operational continuity during peak disruption
- Zero incidents reported involving employees or infrastructure
- Timely decision-making based on verified intelligence and live situational analysis