The role of the Bangladesh Bank (BB) has become highly challenging in the changed circumstances after the global economic-meltdown, its' governor Dr Atiur Rahman said on Sunday. He said a persistent unstability in the global economy has created additional pressure on the central banks to determine respective role and Bangladesh bank is not beyond the stress.  
"Challenges right now are inflation, decline in remittance inflow, increase of import cost, loss in the exchange rate (Bangladeshi currency against US dollars) and shortfall in the balance of payment," said Dr Rahman said while inaugurating the training programme of the 2nd batch of apprentice bankers at Bangladesh Bank Training Academy (BBTA) at Mirpur in the city.
He, however, said that the country's economy escaped from a big blow due to Bangladesh bank's firm position to control money circulation through regulatory and supervisory intervention, despite the persistent unstability in the post-financial-recession era globally. He said today's bankers should obtain IT (Information Technology) skills and appropriate stress testing capacity to help central bank policy makers to initiate necessary regulatory and supervisory steps timely to prevent looming troubles in the banking sector. 
He said efficiency and pleasant personality for every bank official is indispensable to provide dynamic banking to the rural people including farmers, professionals, small and medium entrepreneurs and the poor people.
He said the central bank is in progress to introduce fully a high-tech and automated and client-friendly banking system and the fresh officers should be highly responsible to comply in this regard.
He said the central bank is trying to remove all the barriers which are mainly responsible for delay in disbursing loans to farmers, share croppers, entrepreneurs of small and medium trades, especially those linked to agro processing.        
"Central bankers have to play integrated role in this regard with social commitment, integrity and efficiency," he said.
Central bank's deputy governor Murshid Kuli Khan attended the inaugural ceremony as special guest.  Ataur Rahman, executive director of BB who is in charge of the BBTA, has chaired.

  News: The Independent/Bangladesh/ July-04-2011