Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur today urged Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed to fast-track the process of amending the Bangladesh Bank Order 1972 and the Bank Companies Act before the upcoming national election.

In response, the adviser expressed doubt, saying he was ‘unsure’ whether the two laws could be amended before the polls scheduled for February 12 this year.

The conversation between the two senior government officials took place at a roundtable on banking sector reforms, organised by the English daily The Financial Express and Mutual Trust Bank at Six Seasons Hotel in Dhaka.

At the event, the adviser was the chief guest and the governor the special guest. The roundtable was also attended by a number of managing directors of private and state-owned banks, along with business leaders.

Business leaders and bankers put forward various suggestions and demands, while the managing directors expressed their support for the reforms proposed by the governor.

However, the finance adviser pointed to time constraints and his limitations.

When the governor noted that amending the laws after the election would be difficult, the adviser replied: “We will try. However, the time is short, so we are not sure how much can be accomplished.”