The new governor of Bangladesh Bank, Fazle Kabir, has vowed to strengthen the regulator's IT security system to prevent a repeat of cyber attacks that robbed the central bank of $101 million from its reserve account.

“We are giving priority to initiatives to strengthen the IT security system and create protection against hacking,” Kabir told reporters after taking charge as the new governor yesterday.

The governor's other task will be to bring back dynamism to central bank officials, many of whom were left shaken by the cyber heist.

“It is a wakeup call for us. I will try to boost the officers' morale,” said Kabir, who was the chairman of state-owned Sonali Bank, prior to his new assignment.

“We have to ensure quality and quantity in our work through more precautionary and security measures,” he said, adding that he will sit with deputy governors and executive directors to discuss the issues.

He said he will work to take the central bank forward by identifying and then overcoming problems. “We will do whatever is necessary,” he said.

Kabir, a former secretary of the Finance Division, was chosen as the BB governor following Atiur Rahman's resignation on March 15, on the cyber heist. The new governor said his top priority would be to retrieve $81 million funds that are still missing. “We will try our best.”

Referring to the government inquiry committee headed by former governor Mohammed Farashuddin, Kabir said he would base his steps on recommendations that emerge from the probe.

He also said his tenure would continue the inclusive banking initiatives taken by Rahman.