Sources said the finance ministry will seek applications from candidates next week. Experienced bankers from both private and public banks will be eligible to apply for the top job of the state-run banks.

"Monthly gross salary of an MD will be at least Tk 6 lakh," said a source.

Meanwhile, three state-run financial institutions yesterday got new managing directors and four institutions got new deputy managing directors.

However, the government did not appoint any managing director for the Bangladesh Krishi Bank and Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank. Sources said the current managing directors of the Sonali Bank and the Janata Bank may be transferred to the two specialised banks.

The government has corporatised three nationalised commercial banks recently as part of a World Bank recipe.

Under a separate scheme, when the term of Syed Naser Bakhtair, managing director of Agrani Bank, ends by the end of this year, the new appointment for the top job of the state-run bank will be made through competitive process, the sources said.

Bangladesh Shilpa Bank Managing Director Moktar Hossain was made the MD of Janata Bank while Sonali Bank Deputy Managing Director (DMD) Md Amanullah was promoted to the post of MD of Bangladesh Shilpa Bank.

Agrani Bank DMD FRM Hafizul Islam was also made MD of Bangladesh Shilpa Rin Sangstha.

Besides, House Building Finance Corporation General Manager (GM) Raihana Anisa Usuf Ali was made DMD of Sonali Bank while Agrani Bank GM Khandokar Sabera Islam was made DMD of the same bank.

Agrani Bank GM Syed Abdul Hamid was made DMD of the bank while Janata Bank GM Zoinal Abedin made DMD of Rupali Bank and Bangladesh Krishi Bank GM Zaglul Karim was promoted to the post of DMD of Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank.