Several private bank customers in Kabul have raised complaints about the quality of services these institutions provide. They say money is being deducted from their accounts under a range of labels. The amounts may not be large, they note, but the withdrawals are made without prior notice and have unsettled customers. When clients ask for an explanation, the banks reportedly say only that the charges cover banking services, offering no clear information about what those services involve.
Speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, these customers stress that banks should notify clients before any deduction and clearly explain the services involved and their costs. In their view, the lack of transparency around these charges has steadily eroded public confidence in the banking sector. They believe that unless banks provide accurate and clear information about their services and fees, customer concern and distrust will only grow.
Shahed, a customer of a private bank in Kabul, says money has been withdrawn from his account in recent months without any prior notice. He adds that the bank has offered no clear explanation. “Every month, some money is taken from my account. When I went to the bank, they told me it was a service fee, but they did not explain what kind of service,” he said. “We have the right to know why our money is being taken. Banks are already facing many problems, and we hope this issue will be addressed. The taxes that are already deducted should be enough.”
He is calling on the Central Bank of Afghanistan, now under Taliban control, to put an end to such practices by private banks and to require them to be transparent about deductions from customer accounts.
Shekab, another private bank customer, says he has had a similar experience. He adds that, beyond the usual charges, banks also collect separate fees for ATM use, and these amounts are taken directly from customers’ accounts.
“Banks also take a portion of our salaries,” he said. “When the salary is 20,000 Afghanis, only about 19,000 reaches us. Part of it is deducted under the name of ATM tax, and another part as government tax. Out of 20,000 Afghanis, losing 1,000 is a significant amount. On top of that, they charge annual fees for MasterCard and Visa cards as well. I am not sure whether it is 15 dollars or 20 dollars. A savings account costs more than a current account, and money is taken from customers under various labels.” According to him, these fees have pushed many people to keep their money with money changers or at home rather than in banks.
Shekab added, “Generally, people do not prefer to keep their money in banks. Many store cash at home or place it with trusted money changers, because the money changers do not charge them taxes or extra fees. Another reason is that the credibility of banks among the public has declined.”
Samir, another private bank customer, says banks charge a separate fee for sending text messages about deposits, withdrawals, and other account activity. Charging customers for basic services and routine account notifications is unreasonable, he says, and banks should not deduct money for such functions.
“I had a bank account, and there are several options in it that, once activated, cause the bank to deduct money for services,” he said. These include text messages and notifications about deposits or withdrawals. For every message we receive on our phones, money is taken from our accounts in return. It is usually one dollar, or depending on the type of service, a different amount.”
Sahel, another private bank customer, says banks should always inform customers before deducting any money from their accounts. He adds that since the fall of the previous government, banks in Afghanistan have already lost part of their credibility, and continuing such practices will only inflict further damage.
“With private banks, it is not clear on what basis they set the fees they charge, but banks tend to act in their own interest,” he said. “These fees may be small, but when deducted from a large number of customers, the total becomes considerable. Some of these items are mentioned in the contract, but for many of the charges, it is not at all clear what is being paid for. In Afghanistan, this has become almost routine in the telecommunications and banking sectors. When such cases occur, the trust and credibility of banks among the people suffer even more.”
After the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, banking services in the country were severely disrupted alongside a wider economic crisis. In the first days after the collapse of the previous government, thousands of bank customers queued outside branches to access their money, and strict limits were imposed on withdrawals.
Although some of these restrictions have eased nearly five years after the Taliban takeover, the deduction of money from customer accounts under various labels has once again raised concerns about public trust in the banking system.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
هزینههای نامعلوم بانکی؛ مشتریان: بانکها بدون وضاحت از حسابها پول کسر میکنند
