'Luggage' issue of Khaleda raised in JS

In the face of treasury bench lawmakers' demand, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith told the House yesterday that the government will look into whether an investigation of an alleged money laundering by former prime minister Khaleda Zia could be launched.
Initially the finance minister expressed reluctance to investigate the allegation that Khaleda as the prime minister at the very end of BNP-led four-party alliance government's tenure carried 400 pieces of luggage to Saudia Arabia to perform Umrah.
Muhith said the incident occurred long ago, adding, "I don't think enough progress could be made in the investigation."
The finance minister however assured the lawmakers that he will look into whether an investigation could be launched.
Awami League (AL) lawmaker Zillul Hakim brought the allegation during a question-answer session, saying the luggage was filled with the national currency, dollars, and jewelleries.
In response to Zillul's allegation, Muhith said reports to that effect were published in newspapers and he did not know anything more about the matter.
"Even the National Board of Revenue does not have much information on it," the finance minister said.
In response to a query of AL lawmaker Meher Afroz Chumki on the much talked about issue of getting back the money allegedly laundered abroad by the former prime minister's younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, the finance minister said a case was filed with a court of the District of Columbia in the US. "After the case is adjudicated, we hope we will get the money back," Muhith said.
In response to another query of BNP lawmaker ANM Shamsul Islam, the finance minister in a scripted answer said the country received remittance of $8,979 million equivalent to Tk 61,587.15 crore last year.
In reply to another query of the same lawmaker who was not present during the session as his party continued to boycott the House proceedings, the finance minister said the amount of foreign reserve was $5,670.97 million on February 5.
In response to another question of the same lawmaker, Muhith said a process is on to offload shares of 40 more government companies on the stock market to improve the market situation.
Replying to AL lawmaker Tajul Islam's query, the finance minister in a scripted answer said the GDP growth had been 5.7 during BNP-led alliance government's regime, which rose to 6.32 during the immediate past caretaker government.
In response to AL lawmaker Enamul Haque's question, the finance minister said the government has no plan to withdraw the certificate cases filed against farmers to recover defaulted loans.
WHITE PAPERS ON POST & TELECOM GRAFT
In the same question-answer session, Post and Telecommunication Minister Raziuddin Ahmed Razu said white papers on corruption in the post and telecommunication ministry during the BNP-led alliance government will be published soon.
He also said the government has a plan to take land phone lines and internet to all villages for building the digital Bangladesh ruling Awami League promised during its election campaign.