Business Report :
The Bangladesh Bank Officers’ Welfare Council has urged the interim government to amend the Bangladesh Bank Order 1972 to ensure complete autonomy of the central bank by establishing administrative, operational and financial independence.
The council made the demands through a memorandum submitted to the finance adviser of the interim government on Friday.
Council leaders later informed journalists of their demands during a press conference at the Bangladesh Bank headquarters in Dhaka.
Tanveer Ahmed, acting president of the Bangladesh Bank Officers’ Welfare Council, AKM Masum Billah, general secretary, and other leaders were also present.
They also demanded the dissolution of the Financial Institutions Division of the finance ministry in order to avoid any conflicts of interest and dualism in the banking sector.
Amendments to the related laws, rules and other reforms were also sought to restore good governance in the banking and financial sectors.
The council recommended that the central bank be kept free of political interference or influence and instead be allowed to focus on its tasks such as managing interest and exchange rates and licensing banks or other financial institutions.
Other demands include structural reforms to the central bank’s board of directors and making its governor position a constitutional post.
Granting full ministerial status and appointing renowned economists or central bank officials as governors should be prioritised, they said.
They also sought to convert the post of deputy governor and head of Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit from contractual appointments to regular posts.
They called on the government to implement their demands to prevent money laundering and restore good governance to the financial sector.
