High Court receives a list of 43 money launderers
The list includes names of individuals and organisations that have appeared in the media in the wake of the Panama Papers scandal
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Sunday submitted a list of 43 individuals and organisations involved in money laundering to the High Court.
The list includes Abdul Awal Mintoo, a BNP vice-chairman and a former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), five members of his family, and controversial businessman Moosa Bin Shamsher.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice AKM Zahirul Haque set Monday for further hearing on the issue.
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Only the names of the individuals and organisations that have appeared in the media in the Panama Papers scandal have been presented to the High Court, says the ACC report.
Senior lawyer ZI Khan Panna called the list half-hearted.
"Although the ACC is working against corruption, it has not been able to make a list of money launderers itself or reveal the name of a trafficker in its investigation. This is quite unfortunate," he added.
According to the ACC report, a demand letter was sent to the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), the National Board of Revenue (NBR), and the foreign ministry to investigate the money laundering as per the directions of the High Court.
The ACC said the BFIU is the most suitable medium for collecting information related to opening foreign bank accounts, registration of offshore and other companies, or acquisition of property.
To verify the accuracy of the statements of the persons concerned, ACC did not receive any information from the BFIU regarding opening accounts, maintaining transactions, and investment.
After the hearing, Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik said that during the hearing, the High Court said that building a corruption-free country was one of the key elements of independence. Therefore, the independence of the country will be enhanced if the names of the money launderers are revealed from anyone's position including the media.
Further hearing on the issue will take place on Monday, said Amin Uddin Manik.
The list of money laundering individuals and organisations from Dhaka include Abdul Awal Mintu, Nasreen Fatema Awal, Tabith Awal, Tafsir Awal, Tajwar Md Awal, Chowdhury Faisal, Ahmed Samir, Brummer & Partners Asset Management (Bangladesh) Ltd. Moosa Bin Shamser, Fazle Elahi, KH Asadul Islam, Zulfiqar Ahmed, Imran Rahman, Eric Johnson Andres Wilson WMG Ltd Farhan Yakubur Rahman, Amanullah Chagla, Mahtaba Rahman, Shahnaz Huda Razzak.
Mohammad A Awal and Mohammad Malek are from Chattogram and Tajul Islam Tajul and Faruk Palwan from Narayanganj.
Bangladeshi individuals and organisations abroad include Mughal Farida in New York, Shahid Ullah in Texas, Mohammad Atikuzzaman in Moscow, Mohammad Rezaul Haque in Malta, and Mahmud Hossain and the Global Education System in Ireland.
Earlier on 3 October, the HC directed ACC to focus on capturing the "real" large-scale money launderers instead of businessmen.
The court had said that those who have built "Begum Para" outside the country and siphoned out money to countries abroad are the real money launderers and the ACC should take action against them.
