Bangladesh’s opposition parties have demanded the removal of the Bangladesh Bank governor, alleging politically motivated appointments following the passage of two amendment bills in parliament on Thursday. The bills—amending the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission Act and the Insurance Development and Regulatory Authority Act—removed the upper age limits for chairmen and members of the two regulatory bodies. The opposition argued that the changes were designed to benefit specific individuals and criticized the government for making appointments based on political considerations.

During the parliamentary session chaired by Deputy Speaker Kaiser Kamal, independent MP Rumin Farhana’s amendment proposals were rejected before the bills were passed. Opposition MPs Akhtar Hossain and Shafiqul Rahman questioned whether the removal of age limits was guided by policy or personal interest, linking the issue to recent appointments, including that of the central bank governor. Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury defended the amendments, citing the need to utilize experienced professionals and noting that many countries have no such age restrictions.

Opposition deputy leader Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher urged clarification regarding the governor’s alleged political affiliation, suggesting a new appointment if the claim proved true. The finance minister responded that supporting a party does not necessarily make one a political appointee.