National Citizen Party (NCP) has expressed deep concern regarding the removal of Ahsan H. Mansur as the Governor of Bangladesh Bank, asserting that the move has heightened the risk of irregularities within the country’s financial sector.
In a press statement issued on Thursday, NCP convener Nahid Islam noted that the interim government had appointed Mansur following a mass uprising to restore discipline to the banking industry.
According to Nahid, Mansur had initiated critical reform activities that were already showing signs of progress.
The statement highlighted that Mansur took steps to retrieve money laundered abroad by the Awami regime, engaging with international organisations such as the World Bank.
The ex-governor also implemented measures to curb money laundering conducted under the guise of import and export activities.
The NCP claimed that Mansur sought to transform Bangladesh Bank into a constitutional body to ensure its autonomy – a move the party suggests adversely affected the interests of politically privileged groups.
The NCP further alleged that unrest emerged within the central bank after the elected government assumed office, citing “irregular behaviour” by certain officials. The party specifically pointed to allegations regarding the physical harassment of the governor’s advisor.
In a significant accusation, the NCP claimed the government appointed a new governor without informing Mansur.
They described the new appointee as a “controversial businessman” and a former loan defaulter at Mutual Trust Bank, whose loans were allegedly rescheduled under special facilities.
The party warned that such an appointment poses a significant risk to the nation’s financial stability and could create new opportunities for money laundering.
Protesting the government’s decision, NCP demanded the appointment of an honest, skilled, and experienced economist to lead the central bank.
