BB might be allowed to use seized computers

Bangladesh Bank may be allowed to use the computers and IT systems which were seized by the Criminal Investigation Department after the reserve heist of the central bank last year.

The consensus came at a high-level meeting at the finance ministry yesterday. Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan and Law Minister Anisul Huq were present.

Meeting sources said officials of the central bank and the CID would now sit to decide how the BB staff can resume using the computers and IT systems.

Muhith called the meeting in response to a BB request to increase coordination among the stakeholders, as a lack of coordination was causing difficulties for the central bank in strengthening its IT security.  BB Governor Fazle Kabir, Finance Secretary Hedayet Ullah Al Mamun, Banking Secretary Md Eunusur Rahman and Inspector General of Police AKM Shahidul Hoque were present. The CID seized some computers of the BB soon after the incident of heist came to light in February last year.

As part of a reforms plan, the central bank will install new firewall and software on its 4,300 computers and laptops.  

The meeting also discussed ways to bring back the rest of the money from the Philippines. After the meeting, Muhith told reporters: “Of course, the money that has still remained in the Philippines can be brought back. Nobody is unsupportive on the subject, including the Philippines.”

In November last year, BB received $15.25 million from the Philippines' Anti-Money Laundering Council, nine months after hackers stole $81 million from the central bank's account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

At least $54 million of the $81 million that ended up in the Philippines could be recovered, according to a probe led by former BB governor Mohammed Farashuddin.

So far, the Anti-Money Laundering Council has accounted for $60 million of the stolen money. The remaining $21 million has yet to be traced.