BNP Commits to Ensuring Bangladesh Bank’s Independence: Amir Khosru

BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury has reaffirmed his party’s commitment to ensuring the independence of the Bangladesh Bank, saying that an independent central bank is essential for building a sound economic structure.

He made these remarks on Tuesday (October 21) while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar organized by the Policy Research Institute (PRI) at a hotel in Dhaka. Over fifty economists, business leaders, and policymakers attended the event.

Amir Khosru said,“The Bangladesh Bank must be made independent. During our time, we never appointed political figures there. We even abolished the Banking Division because it served no real purpose—but later it was reinstated, creating more complications.”

The BNP leader claimed that all major economic reforms in Bangladesh were initiated during BNP’s tenure. He added that many banks had issued long-term loans from short-term deposits, which has fueled the current rise in defaulted loans.

He further emphasized,“Without a strong capital market, no reform by the central bank will bring real benefits. At present, Bangladesh practically has no functioning capital market. Monetary and fiscal policies must be aligned. Through automation, transparency will increase—since the future economy is moving toward a cashless society, we must move fully toward automation.”

The former commerce minister also said that if the BNP returns to power, it will create one million jobs within 18 months through initiatives in IT, local and foreign investment, and manpower exports. He stressed that the private sector must play a leading role in this effort.

Among those present at the seminar were M. Masrur Reaz, Chairman of Policy Exchange of Bangladesh; Dr. Zaidi Sattar, Chairman of PRI; Dr. Md. Akhtar Hossain, Chief Economist of Bangladesh Bank; Dr. Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director of CPD; Abdul Hai Sarker, Chairman of the Association of Bankers, Bangladesh; Syed Nasim Manzur, President of LFMEAB; Dr. Sadiq Ahmed, Vice Chairman of PRI; and Dr. Ashiqur Rahman, Principal Economist at PRI.