The Queen of the United Kingdom appoints distinguished individuals to counsel on legal matters that may or may not be restricted to her queendom. That's why Ajmalul Hossain has to be listened to. Yet, his latest statement that the Dr Farashuddin-led committee's report on the Bangladesh Bank's forex reserve heist is not a legal document, has really put the cat among the pigeons. As it is, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith has shifted his position so many times it's hard to follow the jig. From 'within two weeks', through two Eid festivals the publication of the report, far from seeing the light of the public eye, has now, by the Minister's admission in parliament, is a disclosure that will jeopardise the recovery of the stolen money. He went a step farther in demanding the Philippines government release its findings on the matter. It drew as angry a response as is possible within diplomatic nicety from the Philippines.
Not only have they recovered some of the money, sentenced persons found guilty of being involved, they continue to help. That's a far, far cry from where we are. The Farashuddin report named persons and essential system weaknesses. Yet while we're interested, at lukewarm best, to recover the money the latest brainwave appears to be a joint investigation with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The agency were rushed in after Holy Artisan tragedy and the killing of a foreign national, DNA samples from the exhumed bodies of journalist couple Shagor and Runi were sent to them and we're none the wiser.
Given the developing country role model image of the country, it is strange that the casinos in Hong Kong and Macao, where most of the money is suspected to have gone into circulation and thereby untraceable haven't been hit on by the authorities whereas the money illegally smuggled out by late Arafat Rahman Koko has been brought back to the penny. It's doubtful if the full heist amount will ever be recovered but why parallel legal action against those named in the Farashuddin report hasn't been taken is a brain teaser. Their passports were seized and they were to have been kept under watch. The young information technology (IT) man who had begun to speak out disappeared and then made a reappearance. This time he has kept his mouth shut. Essentially those with evidence or suspected involvement are all in the country but no one has been arrested because it took eons to file a case.
With Ajmalul Hossain's comments it would seem we have no case. Or perhaps eleven years from now even if there is a case, it won't have the legs. The acquittal of all eight that were in the dock for the share scam of 1996, means those responsible haven't been found. Those who lost whatever they did may well have lost it for good. There lies the beauty in the beast.
mahmudrahman@gmail.com