ERF wants easy entry of journalists to central bank

Leaders of the Economic Reporters' Forum (ERF) today demanded that the Bangladesh Bank (BB) remove the conditions for entry of journalists to the office of the central bank for gathering information.

The demand was made at a press conference on access to the BB by journalists for gathering information, held at the office of the ERF in Dhaka.

The BB has been restricting entry of journalists to the central bank since March 21 claiming to stop the leaking of confidential information of the central bank.

As the BB has stopped the previous entry procedures, now journalists who want to enter the central bank for collecting information have to register their names in advance and call the officials concerned for permission for entry.

If the officials concerned allow the entry of the journalists, he or she can go to his or her desks for collecting information. Earlier, it was not in place and journalists could talk to officials concerned and visit their desks easily.

The ERF wants the central bank to allow the entry of journalists to the BB as it was before by just showing a temporary identity card provided by the central bank authority and talk to the officials concerned for news articles or television reports.

If the previous situation on entry of journalists to the central bank is not restored soon, the journalists will hold a rally in front of the BB soon to protest against the decision of the central bank, said the ERF leaders at the press conference.

Moreover, the journalists will boycott major events such as announcement of the monetary policy of the central bank if needed, the ERF leaders also said.

The ERF leaders also questioned whether the central bank decided to shut the door to journalists to hide vital information on the failure to control high inflation, mismanagement in foreign currency reserve with the central bank, and volatile exchange rate.

ERF President Refayet Ullah Mirdha and General Secretary Abul Kashem addressed the press conference.