Bangladesh Bank has dismissed revenue department report that gold at the central bank might have been replaced; the bank has vehemently rebuffed such a notion.
Vault security and other currency department officials were questioned. Bangladesh Bank currency officer (DG), Aolad Hossain Chowdhury, told Bangla Tribune: “there is no possibility of replacing the gold.”
However, the report from the revenue detectives states that in the vault they found different metals instead of gold and the discrepancy involves a total of 3.3 kg.
The central bank vault was inspected by revenue officials on January 2017 which was followed by a letter sent to Bangladesh Bank, asking for an explanation.
It’s believed that the central bank gave letters to the listed goldsmith, Giasuddin, and vault caretaker, Harun Rashid.
Giasuddin told Bangla Tribune: “after getting the Bangladesh Bank letter I gave a written response.”
However, after measuring the gold, Giasuddin made a mistake when recording the gold, writing 80 instead of 40.
Meanwhile, over the gold dispute, spokesperson of the central bank, executive director, Debashish Chakravarty, has been removed from his post.
Also, a high powered probe committee has been formed with Bangladesh Bank executive director, ANM Abul Kasem as the head.
At a press conference by the central bank on 17 July, a demand was made that the gold in the vault was in order and no discrepancy was noticed.
However, the error in recording the gold was mentioned.
On 18 July, a meeting was held presided over by the state minister for finance, where the governor, Fazle Kabir, shed light on the actual situation.
On 19 July, the PM called two parties, the central bank and the revenue department to know the true picture.
It’s discovered that the revenue department had been trying to inspect the vault since 2016 and was refused several times.
An official of Bangladesh Bank said: “for some mysterious reason, the revenue department got the permission for inspection in 2017.”
But they did not have permission from the finance ministry for carrying out the inspection, added the official.