Woman Dies Outside Agricultural Bank of China Branch After Told to be Physically Present at Bank

The Agricultural Bank of China is facing criticism after a 62-year-old woman named Peng tragically died outside one of its branches in Zhuzhou, Hunan province, on May 14. Peng was seriously ill but had been told she must be physically present at the bank to withdraw money.

Peng’s family had brought her to the bank to withdraw 50,000 yuan (about US$7,000) needed for her medical treatment. She had been suffering from diabetes for a long time and was recently hospitalized after breaking her leg in a fall, according to local news source Dahe News.

That afternoon, Peng’s daughter first went to the bank with Peng’s ID card and bank book. However, after several failed attempts to enter the correct password, the bank blocked the transaction. Even though the daughter explained that Peng was very sick, the bank staff insisted that Peng herself had to come to the branch.

So, Peng’s daughter called her sister. The sister and her husband then brought Peng to the bank in a wheelchair. They waited for an hour, but still could not withdraw the money. Peng was very weak and semi-conscious, with her head leaning to one side. She was unable to meet the bank’s face recognition requirements, which needed her to nod and blink.

Later, her daughters took her outside the bank for fresh air. Sadly, Peng passed away at the entrance of the bank. Authorities are investigating what happened. Officials said Peng died because of a “sudden illness.”

An anonymous employee of the bank told the news website Sina that Peng’s family never told the staff about her serious medical condition. When Peng could not complete the bank’s procedures, employees suggested the family take her home to rest, but the family refused. Local police said they would soon release their findings about the case.

On May 16, Peng’s nephew said that the family and the bank had reached a settlement. The bank agreed to pay for Peng’s funeral and give the family 100,000 yuan (about US$14,000) as compensation. This settlement has put bank in question. Why bank agreed for settlement if it was not at fault.

“The agreement was signed between the bank and my cousin, who is Peng’s daughter. We will not take the matter further and are preparing to return to our rural hometown,” the nephew said.

This incident has sparked many discussions on social media about the bank’s role.

One user asked, “Why hasn’t the bank shared its surveillance videos? Surely, they have good cameras. Instead of showing the footage, the bank offered money to settle. Does this mean they feel guilty?”

Meanwhile, another user questioned the family’s decision, saying, “Was it a mistake for Peng’s daughters to bring her to the bank even though she was so ill?”