US encourages Bangladesh to ‘root out corrupt actors’
The US encourages Bangladesh to root out corrupt actors operating within its borders fairly and impartially, said State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller at a briefing yesterday.
His comment came in response to a question about US State Department Coordinator for Global Anti-Corruption Richard Nephew's recent visit to Bangladesh.
The journalist also referred to The Daily Star's report published on S Alam Group owner Saiful Alam's business empire in Singapore and asked if the US intends to impose new sanctions, especially on those involved in corruption and money laundering.
Miller said the US never previews sanctions before they take place, but generally, sanctions can be a tool to fight corruption.
"We have other tools as well, such as freezing assets and giving partner nations information so they can prosecute cases.
"And we encourage Bangladesh to root out corrupt actors operating with its – within its borders fairly and impartially."
The reporter in question, Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey, while asking the question, said The Daily Star report was published during Nephew's visit to Bangladesh, which is inaccurate as the investigative piece was published on August 4 and Nephew came to the country on August 6.
Mushfiqul was the assistant press secretary of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia when she was the prime minister.
During the briefing, he also said The Daily Star report revealed that Mohammed Saiful Alam, the owner of S Alam Group, had laundered more than $1 billion abroad.
However, the report made no mention of money-laundering by S Alam. It said Alam had established a business empire worth more than $1 billion in Singapore.
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