Photo: Collected
Bangladesh Bank’s unofficial ban on reporters from entering the central bank building for news gathering may lead to misinformation on the banking sector, said the Economic Reporters’ Forum (ERF).
The BB's restriction for reporters has been in place for a month making it difficult for bank sector reporters to gather accurate information for in this field.
In such a situation, ERF president Refayet Ullah Mirdha and General Secretary Abul Kashem held a meeting with the BB Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder and spokesperson Mesbaul Haque on Thursday to discuss and resolve the issue.
On the other hand, the reporters of the bank beat observed a sit-in protest in front of the BB demanding entry of reporters into the central bank.
The reporters alleged that the ban was imposed to protect a group of loan defaulters and suppress the right information that the people want to know from reporting on the banking sector.
They said that such decisions benefit a group of bank directors and businesses who misled and forced the BB to make policy in favour of them.
The central bank has imposed this measure at a time when the financial sector is reeling under various problems. Customers are not getting money back from most of the financial institutions, some banks in crisis are operating under the special loan of the central bank, reporters said from the sit-in.
The governor has taken this decision to protect from the media the businessmen and banks involved in big scams and irregularities. Through this, his true character is revealed, said the protesters. Such a decision has never been taken before since the establishment of the central bank.
Even after a meeting of the ERF president and general secretary with the governor, the dispute has not been resolved.
The BB Executive Director and Spokesperson Mesbaul Haque told reporters after the meeting the central bank has decided that from now on, reporters can only go to the spokesperson with the bank's specific permission (access pass).
But if an official gives a pass to a reporter, he can only go to that respected official. However, as before, they (reporters) will not be able to freely enter any department of the central bank.
Messenger/Sumon
