The state-owned Central Bank’s revenue was nearly Afs 900 million ($11.5 million) in the fiscal year 1399 (2020), showing an Afs 28 billion ($357 million) reduction compared to the fiscal year 1398 (2019), in which it collected Afs 29 billion ($370 million), an official of the bank said Tuesday.

The acting governor of the Central Bank, Ajmal Ahmady, did not attend a press conference that was intended to "offer accountability," as described by the government.

“He (Ahmady) is a bit sick. He did not come to the office for some days,” said Nisar Ahmad Yusufzai, head of the bank assessment affairs of the Central Bank.

“Mr. President has clearly said that the leader of an office should give a brief on accountability,” said Waliullah Misbah, a technical adviser at the commission for access to information.

Central Bank officials who briefed the media on their one-year activities obtained information about the incomes of the bank but admitted the unprecedented reduction in the revenue.

“The reduction in our income has a reason. The reason is the COVID-19 spread and the reduction in the US government’s interest rate,” said Najibullah Asir, head of the market operation of the Central Bank.

“The continuation of Ajmal Ahmady’s term is in contravention of the law. Meanwhile, the government is treating him differently,” said Zalmay Noori, an MP.

The Central Bank also did not provide details about its currency reserves. The information provided in the report of the bank shows a $300 million difference from what its officials discussed.

In a report of the bank, the currency reserve of the bank is $ 8.118 billion until December 10, 2020.

“Da Afghanistan Bank’s currency reserves were $ 7.494 billion at the beginning of the fiscal year 1399 (Dec. 20, 2019) and it increased to $8.4 billion by the end of the fiscal year (that ended on Dec. 20, 2020),” Asir said.

Another official of the bank said that the injection of new banknotes to the market has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The restrictions that were imposed for the coronavirus delayed the printing of the currency by the company that is in Poland for three months,” said Mir Aziz Baraki, head of the payments department of the Central Bank.

Meanwhile, three months after the attack on Central Bank employees in which three employees of the bank were killed, including former TOLOnews presenter Yama Siawash, the Central Bank is still obtaining information on the incident.

“The information that was required was shared with security institutions and we like you are waiting for the results of the investigation,” said Yusufi.

The Central Bank officials meanwhile did not deny the handing over of 200,000 euros that were taken from an MP at Hamid Karzai Airport in Kabul who was accused of illegal transfer. Based on the law, the money should have been transferred to the Central Bank.

Last year in September, the secretariat of the Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of the Afghan parliament, confirmed the arrest of MP Abdul Hamid Sharifi at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul on charges of smuggling 200,000 euros.