Yes, while many people assume their assets are protected, there have been historical instances where governments have seized citizen property stored in banks.
In my opinion for good businessman investing his money in business is more profitable than buying gold and silver. Bank deposits are not for making money. These accounts are just the safe place for your money. Banks will never let you rich. They use your money for their benefits and if you have fixed deposit account they will give you just a small portion of your income.