121 money laundering cases filed in 5 years
Based on intelligence reports of the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), 121 money laundering cases were filed by various agencies between 2017 and 2022, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal told parliament yesterday responding to queries.
The finance minister also said after probes conducted by Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate of the National Board of Revenue, 15 money laundering cases, involving Tk 367.55 crore, were filed against organisations for breaching bonded warehouse rules.
In a scripted answer, the finance minister said since 2017, the BFIU has sent 1,002 reports to law enforcement agencies after examining 24,977 suspicious transactions.
The minister said after receiving the intelligence reports from BFIU, the relevant investigative agencies including the ACC, CID, Security Exchange Commission, Directorate of Customs Intelligence and Investigation, Central Intelligence Cell of the National Board of Revenue, and Directorate of Narcotics Control, are carrying out necessary investigations and are taking actions in this regard.
In response to a question from Awami League MP Habibur Rahman, the finance minister said, 5.4 lakh taxpayers of the country have not submitted their income tax returns within the stipulated time in the current fiscal year.
In reply to a query of AL MP Panir Uddin Ahmed, the finance minister said the government has no plans to increase the interest rate on national savings certificates for the benefit of retired government employees.
Meanwhile, State Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak told parliament that between July 2022 and April this year, the ministry has requested Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission to remove 1,431 links to content on different social media and sent alerts against 120 emergent cyber threats.
In reply to a query from ruling Awami League MP M Abdul Latif, the junior minister said social media – Facebook, TikTok, Messenger, YouTube -- are regularly monitored by the government.
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