Two top officials and four other senior officials of Bangladesh Bank (BB) including deputy governor-1 Kazi Sayedur Rahman, and Policy Committee Advisor Abu Farah Mohammad Nasser resigned on Wednesday following unrest over the demands for their resignation.
They were forced to resign on the second day after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country on Monday following weeks of deadly job quota reform protests led by students.
They submitted the resignations as an interim government supported by the country's armed forces is set to take over charges on Thursday.
Following Sheikh Hasina's departure, various government departments, including the administration and security forces, have seen a series of top-level changes which has also affected BB. The central bank has come under increasing scrutiny amidst the ongoing political instability amid allegations of money laundering facilitated by some top officials of the central bank.
Protesters were demanding resignation of the governors and four deputy governors, an advisor and the head of Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU). They all are allegedly complicit to money laundering under the cover of the central bank.
At a press conference on Wednesday at BB head office its Executive Director and Spokesperson Md. Majbaul Haque deflected questions of resignation of deputy governors saying they were appointed by the government and their resignations will also be processed by the interim government. They have to wait for the new government expected to be formed soon.
Haque's comments did little however to quell the concerns, particularly regarding the alleged preferential treatment of certain banks linked to influential business groups which allegedly laundered money. When pressed about the illegal benefits granted to these banks and withdrawal of funds by accused banks and money launderers, Haque avoided giving direct answers and abruptly ended the press conference.
Amid the unrest, the central bank's governor, Abdur Rauf Talukder, has been notably absent for two consecutive days from office, fueling speculation among the employees. The protestors, who began gathering at the central bank office early Wednesday morning have been vocal in their demands for governor's resignation and arrest.
Latest development shows among the deputy governors only Kazi Sayedur Rahman submitted his resignation while other deputy governors verbally said they would present resignation to the new government.
Deputy Governor Nurun Nahar will however remain in office some time to give administrative approvals of regular activities.
Officials said, Nurun Nahar will approve their salaries and allowances for the time being and will have to resign as well after new deputy governors are appointed.
The demonstrators chanted slogans on Wednesday demanding resignation of deputy governor Sayedur Rahman, accusing him of aiding in reserve theft, and called for the dismissal of other officials involved in financial mismanagement.
The protests followed an incident on Tuesday in which several officials were threatened with job termination by deputy governor Sayedur Rahman after they exposed irregularities by the central bank's top officials on social media.
