Filed by North Fork Bancorporation, Inc.
                                    Pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities
                                    Act of 1933
                                    Subject Company:  Dime Bancorp, Inc.
                                    Commission File No. 001-13094

                                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INVESTOR:      DANIEL M. HEALY
               EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
               CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
               631-844-1258

PRESS:         KEKST AND COMPANY
               ROBERT D. SIEGFRIED /VICTORIA WELD/JEREMY FIELDING
               212-521-4800


              NORTH FORK WELCOMES DIME AND HUDSON UNITED WILLINGNESS
                    TO WAIVE THEIR "NO SHOP" PROVISIONS

MELVILLE, N.Y. - APRIL 12, 2000 - NORTH FORK BANCORPORATION, INC.
(NYSE:NFB) announced today that despite the apparent difference of opinion
between Dime Bancorp and Hudson United, North Fork is heartened to read the
statements from them announcing each's willingness to cooperate in waiving
the "no-shop" provision of their merger agreement to allow Dime to begin
negotiations with North Fork. In response to Hudson's statement earlier
today, North Fork has advised Hudson that North Fork will provide Hudson
with the requested affirmation of its rights under its stock option
agreement.

John Adam Kanas, President and Chief Executive Officer of North Fork,
commented that, "We are pleased to see that the Dime board has agreed to
Hudson granting this waiver and view Dime's willingness to negotiate as
being in the best interests of all parties involved, especially Dime
shareholders."


Investors and security holders are advised to read North Fork's proxy
statement with respect to North Fork's solicitation of proxies against the
proposed Dime/Hudson merger and North Fork's registration statement with
respect to its exchange offer for Dime common stock, each as filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, and any amendments or supplements to
either of them, because each of these documents contains important
information. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of the
proxy statement, the exchange offer registration statement and other
documents filed by North Fork with the SEC at the SEC's Internet web site
at www.sec.gov. The proxy statement, the exchange offer registration
statement and such other documents may also be obtained free of charge by
overnight mail or direct electronic transmission by calling North Fork's
proxy solicitor, D.F. King & Co., Inc., toll-free at 1-800-755-7250.

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