UNB, Dhaka

The interim government will decide regarding the resignation of top Bangladesh Bank officials, a spokesperson said amid growing demand from employees for them to quit.

“Those top officials were appointed on a contractual basis by the government that just fell. As a result, a new government will have to decide about them,” said Md Mezbaul Haque, the central bank spokesperson.

He said this at a press conference at Bangladesh Bank headquarters following a meeting of executives and directors of the central bank.

“The central bank will present the demands of employees to the new government,” he added.

Two deputy governors resigned under pressure from employees as unrest gripped the central bank building in the morning.

On the resignation of the deputy governors under pressure from the central bank employees, Mezbaul said, “Government appointed them; if you want to submit a resignation letter, you have to give it to the government. They cannot give resignation letters to anyone else.”

Regarding the central bank governor, the spokesperson said, he is on leave.

In the absence of the governor, the deputy governors can take the decisions in their respective cases. But as the employees demanded the resignation of the deputy governors, they tendered their resignations on plain (white) paper.

However, major policy decisions do not take place without the government. Now basically the daily activities will continue, he said in explanation.

Asked about seven banks owned by S Alam Group, “These seven banks have a current account deficit. It can be seen that there is no precedent anywhere in the world that a bank can run with a current account deficit. In Bangladesh, the central bank has given the option to run this bank.”

In response, the Bangladesh Bank spokesperson said these issues now depend on the interim government.

“We follow what instructions they will give us. We have talked about legal reforms. Those who (employees) demanded their resignations on Wednesday have been tasked with finding loopholes within the law,” he pointed out.