What actions taken against money launderers: HC

The High Court (HC) on Monday sought detail information regarding actions taken by the authorities against the individuals and organisations involved in tax evasion related to Panama Papers and Paradise scandals.

The HC also sought information about the measures taken to prevent money laundering in the country and asked the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police to submit a detail report in this regard by January 9.

A HC bench of Justice Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice AKM Zahirul Haque passed the order on Monday.

Advocate Abdul Qayyum stood for the writ petitioner, advocate Khurshid Alam Khan represented the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik moved for the state.

Earlier on Sunday, ACC submitted a report on money laundering along with a list of 43 individuals and organisations who are involved with the Panama and Paradise scandals.

Among the 43 individuals and organisations, 14 names appeared in the Panama Papers, and 29 other names in the Paradise Papers.

As per the data of International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), a global alliance of local and international media and journalists, 43 Bangladeshi individuals, two organisations appeared in the first phase of the Panama Papers scandal, ACC said.

Besides, 18 individuals and five organisations appeared in the second phase displaying involvement of a total of 61 individuals and organisations in the scandal.

The ACC has sent letters to the BFIU, National Board of Revenue (NBR), and Ministry of External Affairs seeking detail information regarding the involved individuals and organisations but yet to get any response from them.

ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan said to The Business Post, “Yesterday we gave the court two lists of individuals and organisations involved in the Panama and Paradise scams.”