RCBC's case only to fool Filipinos: Anisul

Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Huq yesterday said a defamation case filed recently by Philippine's Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) against Bangladesh Bank was to fool people of that country.

“It did not really seem to be a legal behaviour by the officials of that bank. The Philippine government and its senate accused RCBC of the Bangladesh Bank reserve heist because of its conduct. So they lodged the defamation case against Bangladesh Bank to fool its people,” he said.

The minister said these to journalists on holding a meeting with Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Hiroyasu Izumi at his secretariat office.

On what the meeting was about, Huq said judges at the International Court of Justice would be elected soon.

“A Japanese judge wants to contest there and they want Bangladesh's support in this regard. I told him that as Bangladesh would not have a candidate in that election, I will be able to tell him about our decision regarding supporting them after discussing the matter with our prime minister,” he added.

The law minister said he informed the envoy about the updates of the case filed over the Holey Artisan attack, where seven Japanese citizens lost their lives.

“The trial is going on. A total of 17 witnesses provided testimonies in the case so far,” he said.