(Aug 10): Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder and Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan resigned, adding to economic and administrative upheaval days after the ousting of Sheikh Hasina’s government.  

Talukder stepped down on Friday, said Salehuddin Ahmed, the finance adviser of Bangladesh’s new interim government. He is leaving two years before his term ends.

Obaidul Hassan also stepped down following pressure from the protesters who called for his resignation, according to local media. Asif Nazrul, law adviser to the interim government, confirmed the news in a Facebook post.

The departures come in the wake of a dramatic political uprising that forced Hasina to flee the country. Earlier this week, protesters entered the Bangladesh Bank’s headquarters in Dhaka, demanding officials step down. By Saturday, they had turned their attention to the Supreme Court, calling for the resignation of all judges.

Hasnat Abdullah, a student protest leader, issued an ultimatum for Hassan, who is seen as a loyalist to ousted premier, and other judges of the appellate division to resign by 1 pm Dhaka time, according to broadcaster Jamuna TV.

Bangladesh formed an interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, following weeks of violent street protests that have resulted in over 400 deaths since July, as reported by local media.

Talukder, 60, took office in July 2022 when the nation was facing a currency devaluation and high inflation. During his reign, he tried to introduce greater flexibility in market interest rates and currency management. However, he was often criticised for failing to address governance issues in the banking sector that led high loan default rates.

The central bank didn’t respond to an email seeking further information on Talukder’s resignation and his replacement.

Bangladesh’s economy has struggled to regain its footing since the pandemic and has come under pressure from the curfews and recent Internet blackouts. The nation secured a US$4.7 billion (RM20.78 billion) loan programme from the International Monetary Fund last year but its foreign exchange reserves remain low. The stockpile dropped to US$20.5 billion in July.

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