BB withdraws transfer of three officials after staff protest

Bangladesh Bank today (25 February) withdrew its decision to transfer three officials outside Dhaka, a day after issuing the orders over their "autocratic" remarks against former governor Ahsan H Mansur at a press conference.

A Human Resources Department (HRD) notice said the transfer decision taken yesterday had been revoked, and the three officials will continue in their current posts.

They are Nawshad Mustafa, general secretary of the "Neel Dal" and director of the SME and Special Programmes Department; AKM Masum Billah, president of the Bangladesh Bank Officers' Welfare Council elected from Nil Dal; and Golam Mostafa Shraban, general secretary of the same council.

The development follows a 16 February press conference organised under the banner of an all-party platform of the Bangladesh Bank Officers' Council, where the officials criticised the former governor's policies and described him as "autocratic".

At the press conference, the officials questioned initiatives to merge weak banks, including EXIM Bank and Social Islami Bank, and raised concerns over the process of granting digital bank licences.

Yesterday, the central bank served show-cause notices on the three officials, asking them to respond within 10 days over the remarks. Under staff regulations, officials are required to obtain prior approval from the governor before holding press conferences or issuing public statements.

Following the show-cause notices and transfer orders, Bangladesh Bank officials and employees held a meeting today demanding withdrawal of the actions and alleging "autocratic" conduct by Ahsan H Mansur. They warned of a pen-down strike from tomorrow if their demands were not met.

Later today, Ahsan H Mansur was removed from the post. Md Mostaqur Rahman was subsequently appointed as the new governor of Bangladesh Bank.