Online Desk:  Distinguished Fellow of Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and convener of Citizen Platform, Bangladesh for SDG implementation Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya on Tuesday said that data anarchy in the country has now turned into data breach.

He said the recent ban on entry of journalists to Bangladesh Bank (BB) is proof of that situation, as the powerful corrupt groups/syndicates are fearing to face the truth.

Dr Debapriya said this while speaking on ‘Macroeconomic Challenges and Way Forward’ in Moazzem Hossain Commemorative Lecture at the auditorium of the Economic Reporters’ Forum (ERF) on Tuesday.

FRF organised the lecture in honour of its founding president and late editor of the Financial Express Moazzem Hossain.

He also said that the central bank is the place of people’s expectations and the big pillar of getting the right information.

He said, “We depended on central bank data on financial indicators including export-import even before BBS data. Now why has the information fallen in a barrier banning journalists in the BB, Is it the result of a compromise with a group of influential, it will damage the reputation of the central bank.”

Dr. Debapriya said, some are getting the information, and some are not getting it. Today businessmen are getting information while journalists are not. If information is given to the trader, the market is affected, and the price increases. Bangladesh Bank is a state institution. Journalists are not allowed to enter there.

“Why expressing the correct information will be face trouble, why it is being seen as a major sabotage? How economic journalists become saboteurs?” he asked the central bank.

Remembering journalist Moazzem Hossain, Dr Debopriya said, the late editor was a completely professional and pure journalist.

“Moazzem always performed his duties with integrity, ethics, and complete impartiality. He was the pioneer of economics journalism in Bangladesh,” said Dr Debopriya.

Shamsul Haque Zahid, editor of the English daily Financial Express, ERF President Refayet Ullah Mirdha, and General Secretary Abul Kashem also spoke at the event.