Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– Bangladesh Bank (BB) Governor Dr. Atiur Rahman received the ‘Best Central Bank Governor’ Award 2015 for the Asia Pacific region from Chief Editor of the Banker, a financial magazine of the Financial Times Group, Mr. Brian Caplen at the Atlee Room of the House of Lords in London on Friday.

Chaired by Lord Sheikh the award giving ceremony was also attended by Baroness Uddin and Rowshanara Ali MP amongst others. Also present were senior bankers, academics, journalists and non-resident Bangladeshi (NRB) entrepreneurs, according to a massage received in Dhaka on Saturday.  

Lord Sheikh praised the gains made by Bangladesh economy for which he said Governor Dr. Rahman played a strategic role.

The Banker awarded Dr. Rahman for his innovative socially responsible central banking which opened new opportunities for the unbanked and underserved people of Bangladesh, Mr. Brian Caplen explained while addressing the ceremony.

The chief editor of the Banker particularly appreciated farsighted courageous regulatory decisions of Governor Dr. Rahman.
“Such campaign for financial inclusion not only promoted growth but also helped maintain stability of Bangladesh economy,” he noted.
 
The United Kingdom-based prestigious financial magazine has selected the BB governor as the recipient of the award from the region for his contribution to the successful maintenance of macroeconomic stability in the country.

The award giving ceremony was followed by a round table discussion on unconventional Central Banking spearheaded by Dr. Rahman. This was facilitated by Asia Editor of the Banker Ms Stefania Palma and panelists included senior bankers, Bangladesh high commissioner to the UK and academics.

“In the global economy today clouds of deflationary gloom are deepening; directionless pumping of liquidity by quantitative easing is yielding little in sustained growth optimism while heightening instability risks for the global economy; in this context a deliberate directional bias channeling financial flows towards inclusive financing of environmentally sustainable domestic demand driven output initiatives including those of farm and non-farm SMEs is the only way forward for restoring global output growth back on a sustained stable growth path,” BB Governor said while addressing at the ceremony.

He also said the massive countrywide thrust promoting inclusive, green financing began with sustained ongoing sensitization and motivation campaigns to take on board all banks, financial institutions, and clientele group stakeholders.

“The motivational campaign, paying off richly in forging enthusiastic engagement of all banks and financial institutions, state owned and private sector, local and foreign, continues as a full blown initiative for firmly ingraining socially and environmentally responsible financing in the institutional ethos of our financial sector,” Dr. Rahman noted.

The panelists lauded the role of BB Governor Dr Rahman for pushing the financial inclusion agenda which ensured both inclusive growth and stability.

 

In addition to receiving the award, Dr. Rahman also gave interviews to journalists of the Banker, the Financial Times, the BBC, the Economist and NTV and Channel I.

In the evening BB Governor attend a dinner with NRB entrepreneurs and senior journalists where discussed about various investment opportunities available in Bangladesh.

The Best Central Bank Governor award 2015 for Asia-Pacific, a vast region that is now the major engine powering global growth, is a strong affirmation of his positive vision-driven proactive innovative approach in central banking.

In November last year, the BB governor Dr Rahman received the “GUSI Peace Prize International 2014” award for his contribution to establishing peace by reducing poverty in Bangladesh.

Dr. Rahman also received the prestigious “Indira Gandhi Gold Plaque for 2011” for his contribution to international cooperation towards human progress.

He was appointed 10th governor of Bangladesh Bank on May 1, 2009 for a four-year term, which was extended last year for another term.

Ever since assuming office as central bank governor in 2009, Dr Rahman has been spearheading initiatives of ingraining in the Bangladesh financial sector socially and environmentally responsible financing ethos, with multi-pronged facilitation and policy support for inclusive, green financing.

BBN/SSR/AD-07Feb15-12:37 pm (BST)