The High Court on Thursday expressed intense anger over the role of Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) as the anti-graft body failed to submit the names and addresses of the persons especially the government officials who are involved in laundering money to Canada, Singapore and Malaysia.
During the hearing of a case, the High Court told the ACC lawyer, "You are saying the same thing repeatedly. What have you done with those people who sent money to Canada, Singapore and Malaysia?"
"We have heard many names through TV channels and newspaper reports. They had laundered huge amounts of money abroad and build luxurious houses there. How are they doing so? Couldn't we know their names?" questioned the High Court.
In reply ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan said, "Of course. Why can't we know the names? Of course, it will be known. Of course, there will be trials against the launderers."
After completing the hearing the High Court wanted to know specifically the names and addresses of Bangladeshi nationals, who have laundered money abroad and purchased houses in foreign countries including Canada, Singapore and Malaysia.
It also wanted to know what steps have been taken against them.
The court directed the authorities concerned of the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) and government to submit separate reports before it by February 28 next year.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohel also fixed February 28 for holding further hearing and passing an order on this issue.
The bench passed the order during virtual hearing on a suo moto (voluntary move) ruling issued by it on November 22 on this issue following newspaper reports.
During the hearing, Attorney General AM Amin Uddin told the court that the government has taken necessary legal steps against money launderers and has sought information from the diplomatic offices of different countries where they have purchased homes. The government needs time to get the information, he said.
Khurshid Alam Khan placed a compliance report before the HC bench, saying that the ACC has filed cases against more than 100 people including Casino kingpins Selim Prodhan, Ismail Hossain Samrat and Khaled Mahmud for laundering money abroad.
Trial proceedings against them are going on, he said, adding that the ACC and government have brought around Tk 500.0 million as laundered money from abroad through mutual legal assistance cooperation law.
The ACC lawyer also mentioned that legal steps have been taken against former BNP ministers Moudud Ahmed, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and M Morshed Khan and businessmen Mosaddek Ali Falu and Gias Uddin Al Mamun on corruption charges.
Earlier on November 22, the same HC bench sought all kinds of information of the persons who are involved in laundering money to the overseas countries including their names, addresses and legal steps taken against them.
Home secretary, foreign secretary, Bangladesh Bank, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) and National Board of Revenue (NBR) had been asked to submit reports to the court within December 17 this year complying with the order.
Complying with the court order different government bodies submitted five reports to the court on Thursday, said Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik.
The court also issued a rule in this regard asking the respondents to explain in four weeks as to why the inaction of the respondents in taking appropriate legal initiatives against the money launderer government officials, businessmen, politicians, bankers and others should not be declared illegal.
Bangladesh Bank, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), chairman of the Anti Corruption Commission, home secretary, foreign secretary, National Board of Revenue (NBR) and deputy commissioner of Dhaka were asked to comply with the rule.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said in last month he was surprised to see the number of government officials who siphoned off money and sent the amounts to Toronto in Canada outnumbering politicians.
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