B Mirror Report : chairman, amid ongoing criticism and discussions surrounding his appointment. Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Bangladesh Bank Executive Director and spokesperson Arif Hossain Khan said investigations found that a company jointly owned by Khurshid Alam’s wife had taken a Tk 30 million loan from First Security Islami Bank, which later became classified as defaulted.
“Mr. Khurshid Alam himself is not a loan defaulter. The defaulted loan belongs to a company owned by his wife, and it is therefore incorrect to describe him as a defaulter,” Khan said.
The spokesperson also addressed renewed allegations related to Khurshid Alam’s tenure as General Manager of Bangladesh Bank’s Rangpur office. He had previously faced accusations of misappropriating Tk 5.4 million, leading to disciplinary action in 2018 after an internal investigation found the allegations substantiated. At the time, Bangladesh Bank withheld two annual salary increments under its staff regulations.
However, Khan said the case was later reviewed and it was determined that incorrect information had been presented against Khurshid Alam. As a result, the earlier punishment was deemed inappropriate, which paved the way for his subsequent promotions to Executive Director and Deputy Governor.
Defending his appointment as chairman of Islami Bank, Khan said Bangladesh Bank remains confident in its decision and will not alter it due to protests or external pressure.
“If a decision is changed because of one group’s movement today, another group may demand changes through larger protests tomorrow. Institutions cannot be run in that manner,” he said.
The spokesperson also confirmed that Bangladesh Bank had approved Islami Bank’s request to hold board meetings virtually under special circumstances. He noted that there are no regulatory restrictions on conducting board meetings online when justified by exceptional situations.
The clarification comes as public debate continues over Khurshid Alam’s appointment, with questions raised about both the loan default allegation and the disciplinary action taken against him in the past. Bangladesh Bank maintains that the claim labeling him a loan defaulter is inaccurate and should be corrected.
