At least, turn in a list of money launderers

The High Court yesterday expressed disappointment at the authorities' failure to take action against Bangladeshi nationals and organisations who laundered and deposited money with foreign banks, including those in Switzerland.

"We will have to do something for the country and its people. At least, give a list of the names of Bangladeshi nationals and organisations who have deposited money with foreign banks," the HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman said.

The court said this after Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik argued that it is very difficult for government agencies to recover names of Bangladeshi nationals and organisations who have deposited money with foreign banks.

The HC bench was holding a hearing on a writ petition and a suo motu (voluntary) rule involving this issue.

The bench also directed the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) to submit before it by March 6 the names of Bangladeshi individuals who deposited money in foreign banks, including those in Switzerland.

The Anti-Corruption Commission and the Criminal Investigation Department of police have also been ordered to submit to the HC, within the same period, reports on the progress of investigation into the allegations of money laundering against Bangladeshi nationals whose names were published in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers.

Lawyers Abdul Qaium Khan and Subir Nandi Das appeared as the writ petitioners, while lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan argued for ACC and Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik represented the state during the hearing.

On Thursday, the ACC submitted to the HC a report containing the names of 61 Bangladeshi individuals and seven organisations mentioned in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers as money launderers.

The report, however, contains no specific independent findings by the ACC about the Bangladeshis who have laundered and deposited huge amounts of money abroad and to overseas banks and purchased property.

The ACC cannot conduct an inquiry as it could not get detailed names and addresses, accurate information or relevant records of their investments in offshore companies, the report said.

On Wednesday, BFUI submitted to the HC a separate report containing the names of 52 Bangladeshi individuals and 17 entities disclosed in Panama Papers and Paradise Papers as money launderers.