Shipping minister visits BB, holds talks with CBA
Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan visited Bangladesh Bank (BB) and held a meeting with the central banks Collective Bargaining Agent (CBA) leaders amid tight security yesterday.
Sources said that the minister held an opinion exchange meeting with the leaders as part of a regular event of the Bangladesh Bank Employees Association to discuss the overall situation of the association and BB. At the meeting the minister criticised some media for their report and stance against him.
Meanwhile, the visit sparked tension among different bodies concerned as his move was considered as a possible bid to tighten his grip on the banking sector.
The CBA leaders came to the central bank from different district offices. In an interesting move, unprecedented as well, the BB issued a notification stating that the expenditure of the CBA leaders for attending the meeting will be borne by the central bank. The notification highly surprised the banking sector experts.
In a show of this sway over the employees associations, the minister recently visited Rupali Bank headquarters to quell a dispute between some CBA leaders and the bank. Besides, the minister grabbed huge attention for his attempt to enter the garment sector.
A central bank official seeking anonymity said that Governor Fazle Kabir was not informed about the ministers visit and the meeting was not part of the banks official proceedings.
The minister is also the chief of Bangladesh Sarak Paribahan Sramik Federation, an apex body of all road transport workers unions. A CBA leader, wishing not to be named, said that his fellows invited the minister as a leader of transport CBA and to discuss their internal problems and stance. He said that the invitation did not include anybody from the management of the central bank.
