DHAKA, April 30, 2024 (BSS) - The Newspaper Owners' Association of Bangladesh (NOAB) and the Sampadak Parishad today called for ensuring easy access of journalists to the Bangladesh Bank (BB).
 
In a joint statement, they said, "We consider this unwritten ban on journalists' access to the central bank to be against independent journalism, democracy and fundamental and constitutional rights."

Journalists have been restricted from entering the Bangladesh Bank for the last one month.

BB has stopped issuing temporary passes to journalists due to the unwritten ban from the top authorities.

Journalists associated with preparing economic reports have protested, but the matter has not been resolved so far.

In the statement, the NOAB and Sampadak Parishad said that the central bank is one of the most important institutions of any country's economy and people's trust. Ensuring free flow of information is necessary to build a long-term sustainable banking sector and strengthen public confidence in the 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 need for information through free access to the central bank and gathering information. In this situation, the Sampadak Parishad and the NOAB are demanding to ensure the unhindered entry of journalists as soon as possible," reads the statement.

Previously, the Capital Market Journalists' Forum (CMJF), Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) and Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) strongly condemned and protested the Bangladesh Bank's decision to restrict access of journalists to its premises.