I went back to bank after three or four months. I wasn't very confident in going to bank. The reason was very simple, I didn't want to face the man who was calling me from the bank...
I go to this branch because it is near where I live, I don't have an account in this branch, but I need to deposit my checks, thus I will visit this branch from time to time. If you are one of the people who has worked in bank or held a bank account, you would know that these people have a lot of our information - practically our NIC number. On top of that we are required to fill out a deposit slip with other information at the time of the submission of the check.
So this employee of the bank asked me to get an account in this branch to make things easier. I said I will consider it (for a while I was really serious about that, but procrastination kept me from doing it). A month passed and another, and I didn't do it. One night I get a message on whatsapp saying "Hi!". I had recently switched a job and was making a lot of new contacts, so I wasn't sure who was messaging it, and I had to check the profile picture to ascertain the scribe of the text. The picture was of the bank employee. I ignored the message and blocked the number as I didn't want to be contacted again. The important thing was the timing of the text, it was sent somewhere near midnight. After I blocked the number, the other day I receive a phone call, recognizing the number I ignore it. Timings around 2 in the afternoon, another phone call an hour or so later, and ignored again. The phone calls stopped. I was suggested by my brother to make a complain to the bank manager, but I didn't. I should have.
So a few weeks pass in between and there was peace and silence, I forgot the incident and very conveniently forgot the number as well. And then, I get a call, not recognizing the number I answered the phone and - boom - the same person is calling; timing, around 6 in the evening. He introduced himself by saying "I wanted to discuss the opening of your bank account." My reply, "Since when do you call people after office hours from your personal phones to convince them about the bank accounts. I find it highly unethical that you are calling me at this time, and it is my decision whether I want to open an account at your branch or not. I don't want to be contacted in future." Thus I hung up.
I haven't received any calls after that, but that one call somehow, stopped me from visiting the branch, therefore making it very difficult for me to handle my own account - as I was either going to the branches that were away from my home, and costed me time and fare to reach there. I still fear someone keeping an eye on my transactions. Simply, I was scared of facing that man. I did not want his attention (I am very selective about whose attention I want). I didn't want to receive extra nice treatment or any phone calls.
I now realize why Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy found that Doctor's move annoying. This seemingly little incident had such negative effect on my freedom of handling my bank transactions with confidence and made me suffer from this inexplicable fear. This seemingly little phone call on his part, which he must have forgotten about, caused me anxiety and bouts of depression for few months. Until yesterday, when I took a day off from studying, talked myself into going to the bank, considered a possibility of going to the branch ten minutes drive away from home, or depositing it the next day at some other branch on my way to work, and asking my brother to deposit it for me, I decided to go. I asked a friend to practically tell me to go. And I went. And nothing happened. But I was scared. My heart raced the entire time (25 minutes to be exact). I am a grown, independent, and a very confident woman. If this causes me so much trouble, just imagine what it will be causing the girls who are just starting out.
Men need to understand that if we smile, we are being kind and not flirting, if I write my phone number it is not to be called on, we can make our own decisions and not be advised by every tom, dick and harry.
this is harassment and this needs to stop!
Sugandh
I go to this branch because it is near where I live, I don't have an account in this branch, but I need to deposit my checks, thus I will visit this branch from time to time. If you are one of the people who has worked in bank or held a bank account, you would know that these people have a lot of our information - practically our NIC number. On top of that we are required to fill out a deposit slip with other information at the time of the submission of the check.
So this employee of the bank asked me to get an account in this branch to make things easier. I said I will consider it (for a while I was really serious about that, but procrastination kept me from doing it). A month passed and another, and I didn't do it. One night I get a message on whatsapp saying "Hi!". I had recently switched a job and was making a lot of new contacts, so I wasn't sure who was messaging it, and I had to check the profile picture to ascertain the scribe of the text. The picture was of the bank employee. I ignored the message and blocked the number as I didn't want to be contacted again. The important thing was the timing of the text, it was sent somewhere near midnight. After I blocked the number, the other day I receive a phone call, recognizing the number I ignore it. Timings around 2 in the afternoon, another phone call an hour or so later, and ignored again. The phone calls stopped. I was suggested by my brother to make a complain to the bank manager, but I didn't. I should have.
So a few weeks pass in between and there was peace and silence, I forgot the incident and very conveniently forgot the number as well. And then, I get a call, not recognizing the number I answered the phone and - boom - the same person is calling; timing, around 6 in the evening. He introduced himself by saying "I wanted to discuss the opening of your bank account." My reply, "Since when do you call people after office hours from your personal phones to convince them about the bank accounts. I find it highly unethical that you are calling me at this time, and it is my decision whether I want to open an account at your branch or not. I don't want to be contacted in future." Thus I hung up.
I haven't received any calls after that, but that one call somehow, stopped me from visiting the branch, therefore making it very difficult for me to handle my own account - as I was either going to the branches that were away from my home, and costed me time and fare to reach there. I still fear someone keeping an eye on my transactions. Simply, I was scared of facing that man. I did not want his attention (I am very selective about whose attention I want). I didn't want to receive extra nice treatment or any phone calls.
I now realize why Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy found that Doctor's move annoying. This seemingly little incident had such negative effect on my freedom of handling my bank transactions with confidence and made me suffer from this inexplicable fear. This seemingly little phone call on his part, which he must have forgotten about, caused me anxiety and bouts of depression for few months. Until yesterday, when I took a day off from studying, talked myself into going to the bank, considered a possibility of going to the branch ten minutes drive away from home, or depositing it the next day at some other branch on my way to work, and asking my brother to deposit it for me, I decided to go. I asked a friend to practically tell me to go. And I went. And nothing happened. But I was scared. My heart raced the entire time (25 minutes to be exact). I am a grown, independent, and a very confident woman. If this causes me so much trouble, just imagine what it will be causing the girls who are just starting out.
Men need to understand that if we smile, we are being kind and not flirting, if I write my phone number it is not to be called on, we can make our own decisions and not be advised by every tom, dick and harry.
this is harassment and this needs to stop!
Sugandh
