The interim government on Sunday decided to form a search committee for appointing a new governor and deputy governors in the Bangladesh Bank while changes in the state-owned financial entities were imminent, said the officials.
It decided to form the search committee under the Financial Institutions Division of the finance ministry after Bangladesh Bank governor Abdur Rauf Talukder was relieved from the post on the day.
The search committee is likely to include of former comptroller and auditor general Muslim Chowdhury and Policy Research Institute executive director Ahsan H Mansur, according to Financial Institutions Division officials.
Central bank deputy governor Nurun Nahar was asked to perform the duty of the acting governor, according to a circular issued by the Financial Institutions Division on the day.
Besides, other deputy governors of the bank were also asked to run their routine work until the appointment of the new governor.
All the deputy governors have been skipping the office after a group of aggrieved officials staged a demonstration against the top executives of the central bank on Wednesday, a day after the interim government was formed following prime minister Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 resignation and fleeing to India amid a mass uprising causing death of over 300 people.聽
The agitating central bank employees demanded the resignation of governor Abdur Rauf and all deputy governors, especially those were strong allies of the Awami League-led government.
On August 9, Abdur Rouf Talukder tendered his resignation as the bank governor.
On the following day, Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Shibli Rubayat Ul Islam also resigned.
Financial Institutions Division officials said changes in the state-owned banks and financial institutions were imminent as the finance and planning adviser Salehuddin Ahmed gave directives to the division鈥檚 secretary on the day.
The Financial Institutions Division appoints directors and executives to over three dozens of state-owed financial entities, banks, non-bank financial institutions, insurance companies, micro credit operators and stock market investors, among them.
The appointment of directors to the state-owned financial entities on political consideration in the past one and a half decades has largely been blamed for the series of loan thefts and misappropriation of public funds.
Besides, the alleged hostile takeover of private banks by vested interest groups amid indirect patronage of the immediate past political regime has made the banking sector vulnerable to incidents.
On Sunday, gunshots were exchanged between two groups of the Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited at its headquarters in the city鈥檚 Dilkhusa area over the control of bank.
The finance and planning adviser on Sunday warned that stern action would be taken against those involved in the firing in Islami bank.
Talking to reporters at his secretariat office on Sunday morning, the finance adviser said that he had already learnt about the firing incident.
He also told reporters that the biggest challenge of the interim government was to make Bangladesh Bank fully functional.
He said that functions, including the payment system, would now run as per the rules of business.
