Bangladesh central bank's chief quits after hackers take $101 million from country's account

The money was siphoned off from the Federal Reserve bank in New York and transferred to the Philippines and Bangladesh.

Mar 15, 2016 · 04:00 pm Updated Mar 15, 2016 · 04:02 pm

Bangladesh central bank's chief quits after hackers take $101 million from country's account — Former Bangladesh bank governor Atiur Rahman talks to media at his home in Dhaka on March 15, 2016. Bangladesh's central bank chief resigned on March 15, after hackers stole $81 million from the nation's foreign reserves in one of the biggest bank heists in history, the finance minister said. The audacious cyber-theft has embarrassed the government, triggered outrage in the impoverished country and raised alarm over the security of the country's foreign exchange reserves of over $27 billion. / AFP / Mahmud Hossain Opu | AFP

The head of Bangladesh’s central bank on Tuesday resigned from his post after hackers took $101 million from one of the country’s accounts. Atiur Rahman made the announcement after seven years on the job, saying “If my resignation is better for the Bangladesh Bank, I have no hesitation,” AP reported.

The account concerned was with the Federal Reserve Bank in New York, and the money was transferred out of it to the Philippines and Sri Lanka. While Bangladesh was considering suing the United States bank, the New York Fed said its systems were secure. The focus has now shifted to checking the Bangladesh Bank’s cybersecurity. At least $81 million was found in four private accounts with a bank in Manila, and the Philippines has stepped up its investigations into the matter. The remaining money was sent to an account in Sri Lanka.

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