Bangladesh central bank governor steps down over $101-million heist
DHAKA: Bangladesh’s central bank chief Atiur Rahman resigned on Tuesday after hackers stole $101 million from the country’s account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in one of the biggest bank heists in history.
Rahman, a 64-year-old economist and former university professor, submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday afternoon following harsh criticism in the media and fury among the government top brass.
There had been speculation for the past few days that he would quit as Hasina was reportedly angry for the loss.
The heist came as a major blow to Hasina’s government, with reports suggesting that weaknesses in the Bangladesh Bank’s computer system were responsible for the heist.
Rahman comes from a humble background – he is the son of a landless man and tended cows as a boy. He completed his studies despite several ordeals and was selected for an army-run cadet college, after which he did not look back.
He resigned a day after return- ing from New Delhi, where he had gone to attend an International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting. His visit to India was strongly criticised because the government was grappling with the embarrassment of the heist.
Rahman said at a news conference that he had resigned voluntarily. “I submitted my resignation to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, she appointed me...tears rolled down from her two eyes,” he said.
Rahman said he had taken several steps over the past few weeks to increase cyber security for the Bangladesh Bank.
The heist is being probed by authorities in Bangladesh and the Philippines, where the money was sent when Chinese hackers allegedly transferred the funds.