Staff Reporter :
Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Wednesday said that Bangladesh Bank (BB) require serious reforms because it lacks efficiency in various tiers.
“In my assessment, BB is not in a very healthy condition. It needs massive reform,” said Muhith while talking to reporters following a meeting of the Cabinet Purchase Committee.
The Minister came up with the comment after cyber heist of $101 million from the BB’s account with the US Fed in New York.
Muhith said the government probe body headed by Dr Mohammad Farashuddin will look into it. He will meet the finance minister within a day or two.
When asked, the Minister said that the newly appointed central bank governor, Fazle Kabir, will take charge on 19 March after his return from USA on 18 March.
“Appointment of two new deputy governors are under process,” he added.
He further said that the process to appoint two deputy governors is underway. This is a lengthy process. A search committee will be formed and then they will select the candidates for the post.
Responding to a question, he said that Aslam Alam, who has been made OSD on Tuesday, was not involved in the case. But as secretary of this division he should have learnt about it.
On February 4, hackers stole more than $101 million from Bangladesh Bank’s account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and wired it to a number of bank accounts in the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
Some $20 million went to Sri Lanka and another $81 million was transferred to the Philippines and efforts are under way to retrieve the money.
On February 29, the Philippines Daily Inquirer broke the story of a possible $101m digital robbery of BB fund.
