Home ›› 11 Aug 2022 ›› Governance
Ambassador of Switzerland to Bangladesh Nathalie Chuard has said any estimate on deposits of Bangladeshi money in the Swiss banks is “purely speculative” and no conclusion can be drawn on the basis of media and other reports.
“Switzerland is not a safe haven for corrupt money,” she said adding “When it comes to the Bangladeshi money deposited in the Swiss banks - the deposits meant by individuals ...represent only one aspect of various sources of public and private funds.”
The Swiss envoy said ... no conclusion can be drawn on the volumes of private deposits from Bangladeshi customers in Switzerland on the basis of these reports of the Swiss National Bank.
She made the remarks while responding to a volley of questions on the issue at DCAB Talk on Wednesday. The briefing began by observing one-minute silence to pay homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members who were brutally assassinated on August 15 in 1975.
DCAB President Rezaul Karim Lotus and its General Secretary AKM Moinuddin also spoke at the event held at the National Press Club.
Bangladeshi media outlets reported that funds parked by Bangladeshi nationals and entities in all the Swiss banks swelled by 54 per cent to around CHF (Swiss Franc) 871 million (Tk 83.18 billion) in the last calendar year. The amount was around CHF 563 million in 2020.
Responding to a question on information exchange on the issue, she said Switzerland is really committed to implementing international standards. In accordance with these international standards they can have some specific regulations and agreements also with the country to exchange this type of information, she said.
“So that something should be developed,” said the ambassador, adding that they have been providing to the government all the information regarding how to reach an agreement on these matters but no request has been submitted regarding any particular funding.
On the statistics, the Swiss envoy said, money of the individuals that is placed, for instance, in Swiss banks - not just in Switzerland but in the Swiss banks worldwide - has recently been decreasing.
She said they certainly do not encourage capital flight and the Swiss bank system is the most renowned and internationally connected system.
At all the financial centers, the envoy said, there is always a risk of abuse but Switzerland really takes steps to mitigate its risk as fast as possible.
Chuard said they want to engage on the UN Security Council and are looking forward to working with Bangladesh to pursue their collective actions in favor of peace, international law, sustainable development and human rights in the multilateral fora.
“But let me be clear here. This will not be an easy task: taken into account the numerous global challenges which we are facing, cooperation is essential,” she said, adding that Switzerland is a serious global player and a reliable partner of Bangladesh.
The Swiss envoy said their programme complements the support for more trade and direct foreign investments. Altogether, she said, for the next four years, Switzerland will invest about US$ 130 million.
“Our overall goal is to support a sustainable LDC graduation, promote a more prosperous, just and resilient society, and contribute to peaceful coexistence,” she said, adding that they also work on critical issues such as climate change, human rights, gender equality and women’s economic and political empowerment - just to name a few.
Chuard said what her country is engaged in and contributes here in Bangladesh is actually a reflection of what Switzerland stands for and promotes globally.
“This is part of our broader quest to make a better, more secure, prosperous and sustainable future for all,” she said.
Chuard said with the graduation from the Least Developed Countries category approaching, Bangladesh is at a crossroads.
“Equipped with Swiss expertise and forte in technology, innovation and R&D, we stand ready to expand our economic partnership with you to make this transformative journey smooth and sustainable, leaving no one behind,” she said.
The Swiss envoy said solidarity is an underlying aspect in the bilateral relations and her country has proven to be a committed, effective and innovative development partner, investing over $ 1 billion in international cooperation in this country in the last five decades.
