Staff Correspondent

The leaders of Bangladesh Editors Forum strongly condemned and protested the ban on free access of journalists to Bangladesh Bank.

Demanding to ensure the access of journalists to the Central Bank of the country to perform their professional duties, the leaders said that this unwritten ban is against independent journalism, democracy, fundamental rights and the constitution.

Editors Forum leaders made this demand in a statement sent to the media on Thursday.

It is said in the statement that for the past one month, the journalists of different media have not been able to enter the Bangladesh Bank to perform their professional duties.

Due to the unwritten ban of the higher authorities of Bangladesh Bank, the issue of temporary pass to the journalists to enter the bank has been stopped. Journalists associated with economic reporting and various professional organizations associated with the media have issued statements condemning and protesting the issue, but so far there has been no remedy.

Even though the journalists boycotted the official press conference organized by Bangladesh Bank last Wednesday (May 8) at noon in protest, the decision has not changed so far, which is sad and condemnable.

The leaders said in the statement, the spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank. Majbaul Haque's speech to the media has been noticed by the editors of the forum. The spokesperson said, from now on, journalists can only go to the spokesperson with specific permission (entry pass) of Bangladesh Bank. If an official gives a pass to journalists, then only that official can be met. However, as before, journalists cannot freely enter any department of the central bank.

The editors forum leaders think that this decision of Bangladesh Bank is the name of taking away the freedom of the media. As a result, the people of the country will be deprived of the right to know the real state of the bank and financial sector as well as the country's economy. As a result, there will be distrust in the public mind about this sector. At the same time, which will further encourage irregularities and corruption in the banking and financial sector.

The leaders of the editors' forum said that the central bank is one of the most important institutions of any country's economy and the trust of the people. Ensuring free flow of information is imperative to build a sustainable banking sector and strengthen public confidence in the country's financial sector.

Bangladesh Editors Forum leaders hope that the Bangladesh Bank authorities will immediately withdraw their unwritten ban on the entry of journalists inside the bank to facilitate the fair exchange of information and media workers to fulfill their proper duties.

Bangladesh Editors Forum Chief Advisor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Convenor Rafiqul Islam Ratan and Member Secretary Farooq Ahmed Talukdar signed the statement.