Special Correspondent :
Speculation is swirling in the country’s banking sector as to who will be the next central bank governor since the current term of Bangladesh Bank (BB) chief comes to an end on 3 July this year.
Sources said the government is expected to announce the name of next central bank governor well before the current term of BB chief Dr Fazle Kabir comes to an end.
Here’s a look at the names of some probable candidates:
Abdur Rauf Talukder, Senior Secretary, the Ministry of Finance
Speculation runs high that Rouf Talukder, a top bureaucrat at the finance ministry, may take over as the next governor of the central bank as he remains in the ‘good book’ of the incumbent government for his competence and dedication in the service. Besides, he played a key role in framing the government’s economic policies and suggested timely measures to tackle the pandemic shocks on the national economy.
Talukder emerges as a strong contender for the post of Bangladesh Bank Governor as he has already gained vast knowledge about the country’s financial sector as well as the central bank’s functions being a finance secretary and board member of BB, said a senior government official asking not to be named.
“He has the capacity to lead the central bank. Besides, a group of the government’s senior bureaucrats want him to take helm at the central bank after his retirement from the current post,” he added.
His term as finance secretary is going to end very soon.
Prof Shibli Rubaiyat-ul-Islam, chairman of BSEC
Prof Shibli was appointed the chairman of the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) on May 2020. The country’s capital market has been moving in a positive direction since he took the charge.
He is regarded highly in academic circles and for his work at the BSEC.
Prior to joining at BSEC, he was the Dean of the Faculty of Business Studies at University of Dhaka.
Prof Shibli will be a suitable candidate for the post of Bangladesh Bank governor for his vast experience in the field of finance and banking. Moreover, he has good connection with the inner circle of the government as well as the ruling party, sources said.
Najibur Rahman, former principal secretary to the Prime Minister
The name of Najibur Rahman, the former chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and the principal secretary to the Prime Minister, is also in discussion as a candidate for Bangladesh Bank governor post.
He was on the board of Bangladesh Bank for a long time even after retiring from the post of chairman of NBR. His administrative skills are well known at the top level of government. Besides, an influential quarter inside the government is lobbying hard to make him the 12th BB governor.
Najibur Rahman had joined as Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister on1 January 2018. Prior to this appointment he served as Senior Secretary, Internal Resources Division (IRD), Ministry of Finance and Chairman, National Board of Revenue (NBR) for three years since January 2015.
Sources said though the names of early candidates are in discussions the final call will be taken by the Prime Minister in consultation with Finance Minister.
