Bangladesh Bank restricts entry for journalists

*The central bank has imposed a strict restriction on journalists' access to its building.* From now on, journalists will only be able to visit the spokesperson of the bank at its building using a specific permit issued by the bank, Mezbaul Haque, the Bangladesh Bank spokesperson, told The Business Standard today (25 April). "However, journalists will be able to visit other officials of the bank if the officials issue them a permit.  Journalists will no longer be able to freely enter any department of the central bank as before," he added. According to journalists, this is the first time such a restriction has been imposed. The central bank's decision comes as its various departments are scheduled to sit with a team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding the international lender's $4.7 billion loan package for Bangladesh. Journalists have condemned the restrictions and protested in front of the office of the Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder earlier on the day. Economic reporters from various news outlets staged a sit-in programme in front of the building from 11:00am to 12:30pm. Obaidullah Rony,  special correspondent of Daily Samakal who also covers the central bank, told The Business Standard that journalists had free access to Bangladesh Bank earlier. "Free access of journalists to Bangladesh Bank departments has been obstructed. Journalists needed to use permits to enter the Bangladesh Bank prior to this as well. But we could move freely inside the building. Now, our movement is being controlled." Meanwhile, Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) President Refayet Ullah Mirdha and General Secretary Abul Kashem have met with the central bank governor over the announced restriction. Economic reporters have alleged that as the Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf has failed to take effective measures in controlling inflation and curbing the volatility in the dollar market, such restrictions were imposed. "As these issues are being published by the media, he has imposed strict restrictions on journalists' entry to the Bangladesh Bank," an economic correspondent of a private news outlet told TBS on condition of anonymity.
Published on: 2024-04-25 13:48:08.554228 +0200 CEST