In the midst of unprecedented turmoil at Bangladesh Bank, Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury refused to comment on the sudden departure of the bank's former governor, maintaining a studied silence that only deepened speculation.
In an unprecedented move, the government has appointed a businessman as governor of Bangladesh Bank (BB), marking the first time in the country's history that someone from the private sector has been chosen to lead the central bank.
The BNP government on Wednesday canceled the appointment of outgoing governor Ahsan H. Mansur and named garment industry entrepreneur Mostakur Rahman as his successor for a four-year term, effective immediately.
Journalists pressed the minister repeatedly on the exit of the recently departed governor and the appointment of Md Mostaqur Rahman as his successor. Each time, Chowdhury offered the same curt reply: "I have nothing to say."
The exchange unfolded after an hour-long meeting between the finance minister and the new governor at the Secretariat on Thursday. Mostaqur Rahman arrived at the minister's office around 3:30 pm, leaving with Chowdhury at approximately 4:30 pm. As they departed, journalists sought comments from the new governor, but he remained silent.
Turning to the minister, reporters asked why the former governor had been sent off in such dramatic fashion. Chowdhury's response was consistent: "There is nothing to say." When pressed again on whether the departure had been appropriate, he repeated the phrase with the same unwavering brevity.
The minister's refusal to speak has only intensified speculation and raised questions about the handling of leadership at the central bank at a time of heightened public scrutiny. The silence of the nation's top finance official amid such a high-profile transition has left markets and observers watching closely for any signal of policy direction or institutional reassurance.
