Three online shops: BFIU finds evidence of money laundering
Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit has found evidence of money laundering by e-commerce platforms -- Boom Boom Ltd, Qcoom Ltd, and Sirajganj Shop.
The BFIU, a government agency responsible for enquiring into suspicious transactions, sent its findings to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of police for further probe and legal action.
The agency, in its 672-page compliance report submitted before the HC yesterday, said there was a reasonable cause for suspecting that money generated by fraudulence was deposited in 30 bank accounts of Qcoom Ltd.
It said Qcoom's transactions have been frozen on October 13, 2021, following a request from the CID.
The BFIU also said it stayed transactions of four bank accounts of Boom Boom Ltd and seven accounts of Sirajganj Shop on September 14, 2021, on the similar grounds.
According to the BFIU report, the agency has identified 50 e-commerce companies to probe into, but has been able to investigate 17 so far.
Evaly, E-orange, Qcoom, Dhamaka, Boom Boom, Ring ID, Asthar Pratik, Sreshtha, Nirapad, Sirajganj Shop, Needs Com, Dot Lines Bangladesh Ltd, and Foster Corporation Ltd are among the ones probed.
The 17 companies have conducted transactions ofaround Tk 10,500 crore between 2019 and 2021.
Of the the amount, Evaly alone has conducted transactions of Tk 6296.56 crore, E-orange and Oraange Bangladesh at least Tk 2148.20 crore, and Qcoom around Tk 2092.33 crore during the same period, the BFIU said.
Meanwhile, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) submitted a separate compliance report to the HC yesterday saying it has fined 13 online businesses Tk 139 crore for not paying taxes.
The NBR collected Tk 33 crore and Tk 12 crore as revenue from 196 registered online platforms in fiscal 2020-2021 and in fiscal 2021-22 respectively, according to the report.
After receiving the reports, the HC bench ordered the BFIU to submit a complete compliance report and set May 22 for hearing and delivering further orders.
During yesterday's hearing, BFIU's lawyer Shamim Ahmed Khaled told the HC bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Khizir Hayat that the BFIU report was not complete and that it needed more time to prepare a comprehensive report.
Lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir, who filed one of the three writ petitions that had led to the HC asking the BFIU to probe, told the court that the BFIU report failed to mention the destination of the money.
He urged the HC to issue an order for refunding the victims.
Comments