Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) on Thursday called for the immediate cancellation of the appointment of the newly appointed Governor of Bangladesh Bank, citing a serious “conflict of interest” that could undermine the central bank’s independence.
The call was made by TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman at a press conference at the organisation’s office in Dhanmondi.
The event, titled “Strategic Priorities for Implementing Government Governance and Anti-Corruption Pledges: TIB Recommendations,” reviewed the governance direction of the BNP-led government.
TIB questions whether new governor can rise above conflict of interest
The controversy follows the February 25 appointment of Mostaqur Rahman as governor replacing economist Ahsan H. Mansur.
“To ensure the independence and neutrality of the central bank, the governor must be a person with proven expertise who is completely free from any conflict of interest,” Dr. Iftekharuzzaman said.
Addressing the current political climate, he also warned against the emergence of a ‘now it’s our turn’ mentality among party activists, bureaucrats and politically aligned business groups.
“The top leadership of the government and the BNP must enforce a zero-tolerance policy against corruption to prevent the institutionalisation of power abuse, extortion and partisan influence,” he added.
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The organisation presented several proposals aimed at strengthening governance and accountability.
Key recommendations included immediate cancellation of the Police Commission Ordinance 2025, major reforms in agencies including the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Special Branch (SB), Detective Branch (DB), and National Security Intelligence (NSI), formal proposal to abolish the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), public disclosure of which ordinances passed during the interim government will be placed before the 13th Parliament, development of a strategy based on the BNP’s 31-Point State Reform Outline, its election manifesto and the July Charter.