HC seeks details of money launderers by Dec 17

The High Court on Sunday asked the authorities concerned to submit reports of money launderers by December 17.  

The HC came up on the call in a suo muto (voluntary) rule, after some recent news published in different media outlets over the money laundering allegation.  

Anti-Corruption Commission chairman, secretaries home and foreign affairs, governor of Bangladesh Bank and its financial intelligence unit, chairman of the Board of Revenue, and deputy commissioner of Dhaka have been made respondents to the rule.

The court also ordered the respondents to submit details including names and addresses of the money launderers to the court by December 17.

The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Ahmed Sohel fixed December 17 for passing further orders in this regard.

In the rule, the HC observed that the people who are indulged in laundering money have no patriotism and they are enemies of the state and the nation.

The court also directed intelligence agencies to undertake appropriate steps in a bid to stop the money laundering from banks.

The HC asked the respondents to explain in four weeks as to why their inaction to take harsher actions against the money launderers, should not be declared illegal.   

The money launderers don’t love the country and they betray its citizens, the HC bench came up with the observation while issuing an injunction to restrain perpetrators from laundering money abroad.

Justice Nazmul Islam Talukder, during the court proceedings, said a number of businessmen, government officials and politicians have reportedly bought luxurious houses in different foreign countries including Canada, Malaysia and Singapore by laundering money from the country.

“It is violation of the law of the land,” Talukdar said in his observation.

ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan and Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik participated in the virtual proceedings.