The central bank has imposed a strict restriction on journalists' access to its building.
According to journalists, this is the first time such a restriction has been imposed.
Mezbaul Haque, the Bangladesh Bank spokesperson, said, “From now on, journalists will only be able to visit the spokesperson of the bank at its building using a specific permit issued by the bank.”
"However, journalists will be able to visit other officials of the bank if the officials issue them a permit. Journalists will no longer be able to freely enter any department of the central bank as before," he added.
Sources said, the central bank's decision came as its various departments are scheduled to sit with a team of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding the international lender's $4.7 billion loan package for Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, journalists from different media have condemned the restrictions and staged protest in front of the office of the Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder on Thursday.
Economic reporters from various
news outlets staged a sit-in programme in front of the building from 11:00am to 12:30pm.
One of the protesting reporters, who also covers the central bank, said earlier all the journalists had free access to Bangladesh Bank.
He said free access of journalists to Bangladesh Bank departments has been obstructed. Journalists needed to use permits to enter the Bangladesh Bank prior to this as well. But we could move freely inside the building. Now, our movement is being controlled.
Meanwhile, Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) President Refayet Ullah Mirdha and General Secretary Abul Kashem have met with the central bank governor over the announced restriction.
Economic reporters have alleged that as the Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf has failed to take effective measures in controlling inflation and curbing the volatility in the dollar market, such restrictions were imposed.
"As these issues are being published by the media, he has imposed strict restrictions on journalists' entry to the Bangladesh Bank," an economic correspondent of a private news outlet said on condition of anonymity.
