New BB governor vows not to bow to political pressure
Published: 02 March 2026, 3:17:27
The newly appointed governor of Bangladesh Bank, Md Mostaqur Rahman, said he would not bow to political pressure and urged bank executives to report any interference directly to him.
Speaking at a meeting with The Association of Bankers Bangladesh Limited (ABB) at the central bank on Sunday, the governor said managing directors (MDs) should immediately inform him if they face political pressure in matters related to lending or corporate governance.
He added that ongoing reform measures in the banking sector — including the restructuring of boards at troubled banks — would continue without interruption.
The meeting was attended by 19 bank MDs, led by ABB Chairman and City Bank MD Masrur Arefin. Three deputy governors — Nurun Nahar, Habibur Rahman and Kabir Ahmed — were also present.
Bangladesh Bank Executive Director and spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan said the governor reaffirmed that reform efforts would proceed and instructed banks to support the government’s commitment to creating new jobs.
Mostaqur also said a standardized office rental structure would be introduced for opening new bank branches, reducing the need for repeated approvals from the central bank.
Describing the meeting as constructive, Masrur Arefin said the governor “sincerely and patiently” listened to the views of all 19 participants and outlined his key priorities.
According to Arefin, the governor emphasized creating a business- and production-friendly environment to help generate 10 million new jobs.
He also stressed the productive use of non-performing assets arising from defaulted loans, including reopening closed factories through new production or service-oriented initiatives.
