Traders, not journos and people’s representatives have access to info: Debapariya Bhattacharya

Attempts to hide information and thinking about building a digital Bangladesh and smart Bangladesh are contradictory, thinks Debapriya Bhattacharya, distinguished fellow of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

Debapriya Bhattacharya alleged that though the journalists and the people’s representatives are not getting insider information, those are readily available to the businesspersons.

Prices of commodities increase if the insider information is available to the businesspersons, he stated while delivering the Moazzem Hossain Memorial Lecture, organised by Economic Reporters’ Forum (ERF) at its office in the Nayapaltan area Tuesday.

The CPD distinguished fellow said earlier there was chaos regarding data and statistics in the country; then came blindness. What we are witnessing nowadays is the death of data and statistics in accidents. The central bank’s recent order restricting the entry of journalists at its premises is evidence of that, he added.

He further said that the death of data and statistics in accidents is bringing defame to the Bangladesh Bank. “Bangladesh Bank is a huge source of data and information. We were dependent on the central bank’s information for various economic indices including export and import before the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) started providing some of those statistics. But what we are witnessing now is that some people are receiving the information but some are not getting those; the businesspersons are getting those but not the newspersons.”

Debapriya Bhattacharya said the entry of the newspersons has been restricted at the Bangladesh Bank, a state establishment. “Will there be any severe sabotage if the information are published? Are the economic reporters saboteurs?” he asked.

Addressing the economic reporters, Debapriya Bhattacharya said, “You are important people; you are being respected through the central bank’s controlling the data and information directly.”

He further alleged that the information are not being given to the people’s representatives as well.

They (the people’s representatives) are also not getting any privilege in receiving information. Their condition is not less woeful than the newspersons, Debapriya remarked. “As the people’s representatives have some weaknesses, they cannot speak with authority while talking to bureaucrats.”

Debapriya thought the policy-leadership in the country had weakened. Apparently no one is available to explain the policies.

Debapriya also alleged that there is a lack of coordination in policies in the country and the political powers also have weaknesses to face this lack of coordination.

He raised the allegation while speaking about change in ownership of a bank despite the central bank’s directives in this regard.

ERF secretary Abul Kashem moderated the programme that was chaired by the organisation’s president Refayet Ullah Mirdha.

Financial Express editor Shamsul Huq Zahid attended the programme as special guest.