BB instructs banks to sever ties with CTO Forum

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has instructed all scheduled banks and financial institutions in the country to cut off any affiliations with CTO Forum Bangladesh.

In a letter sent to the managing directors and chief executives of the banks and other financial institutions on Monday, the central bank said that the BB should be informed if relations with the CTO Forum are not severed.

CTO Forum Bangladesh is a non-profit organisation consisting of chief technology officers (CTO) in the country, as well as IT professionals working in the IT department of banks, financial sector and various organisations.

The letter was the result of the statements made by Tapan Kanti Sarkar, founder president of CTO Forum Bangladesh, who participated at a recent programme titled "Tali Khata" aired on DBC News, a private channel, and discussed the measures taken by banks to prevent cyber hacking and overall preparedness capacity. 

The central bank considered his claims and statements to be untrue.

The ICT Department and the BGD e-GOV CIRT, a state-run digital security agency, in two separate letters earlier, had recommended Bangladesh Bank for taking necessary steps to avoid all involvement with the CTO Forum for the security of officials from all banks and financial institutions in the country.

The letter, signed by SM Tofail Ahmad, systems analyst (joint director), information systems development and support department of BB, requested the banks to inform his department whether any personnel were members of CTO Forum or part of the organisation in an advisory capacity, by March 11.