'Ban on entry of journalists into BB goes against independent journalism’

The Newspaper Owners Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) and Editor’s Council in a joint statement on Tuesday said the ‘unofficial ban’ of journalists inside the Bangladesh Bank (BB) is against independent journalism.

The joint statement signed by NOAB president A K Azad and Editor’s Council president Mahfuz Anam was published Tuesday. They demanded an arrangement to ensure free entrance of the journalisst to the central bank immediately.

The statement reads, "For more than a month, journalists from various media have not been able to enter Bangladesh Bank to perform their professional duties. According to media reports, the issue of temporary passes to journalists has been stopped due to an unwritten ban from the top authorities of the country's banking and financial sector regulatory body. Journalists involved in reporting on the economy have been protesting, but the matter has not been resolved so far."

The statement said the NOAB and the Editor’s Council noticed the statement of BB spokesperson Mezbaul Haque in this regard.

He said, “Henceforth, journalists will only be able to visit the spokesperson and other officials of the bank at its building through using a specific permit issued by the bank. If an officer gives passes to journalists, then only that officer can be met. However, journalists will not be able to enter any department of the central bank freely as before.”

The joint statement said the initiative of the central bank as said by its spokesperson is an impression of the unofficial announcement.

The statement reads, "The NOAB and the Editors' Council think this decision of Bangladesh Bank is tantamount to taking away the freedom of the media. For the ban, people will be deprived of the right to know the real state of the bank and financial sector as well as the country's economy. On the other hand, it will increase the public's distrust of the sector. At the same time, it will further encourage irregularities and corruption in the banking and financial sector,"

The joint statement further said, “The central bank is one of the most important institutions of any country's economy and people's trust. It is necessary to ensure free flow of information to build a sustainable banking sector in the long term and strengthen people's confidence in this sector."

"For the last 53 years after independence, journalists have played a role in ensuring accountability in the banking and financial sector of the country, as well as meeting the public's information needs through free access to the central bank and gathering information," it added.

Earlier on 25 April, agitated journalists took position in front of the central bank in protest of the ‘unofficial ban’ on journalists inside the central bank building.

To settle the issue, Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) president Mohammad Refayet Ullah Mirdha and general secretary Abul Kashem met with Bangladesh Bank governor Abdur Rauf Talukder at around 11:00 am that day. But there was no positive outcome.

Apart from the NOAB and Editors' Council, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) and the Dhaka Reporters Unity also gave statements on Monday condemning the BB decision to bar journalists from entering inside the central bank.