The Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) is expected to finalise the National Risk Assessment (NRA) report within the next couple of months, identifying the vulnerabilities towards prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing.
"The National Risk Assessment (NRA) report is yet to be finalised. We're collecting data. Hope, it'll be finalised within the next two months and submitted to the authorities concerned within the stipulated time," ACC's National Risk Assessment Cell coordinator M Fanafillah told UNB.
According to the recommendations of the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APGML), Bangladesh formed a National Coordination Committee (NCC) chaired by Finance Minister AMA Muhith on August 2, 2010 to formulate policies and directives on Anti Money Laundering (AML) and Combating Financing of Terrorism (CFT), and to oversee the implementation of those.
The NCC has formulated an action plan on AML/CFT compliance of Bangladesh. As part of the plan, the ACC along with the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) of the Bangladesh Bank and Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the police has been assigned to prepare the 'National ML/TF Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Report'.
Being the lead agency, Fanafillah said, the ACC in collaboration with CID and BFIU is preparing the NRA report.
"A working committee, headed by ACC director general Brig Gen MH Salahuddin, has been formed and the committee sits together regularly and takes decisions regarding the findings and writing of the report."
About the progress of the report preparation, the ACC official said they have collected objective data according to prescribed template and subjective information and opinion from intelligence agencies.
He said the ACC's National Risk Assessment Cell organised three outreach programmes at the vulnerable bordering locations -- Teknaf (border with Myanmar), Benapole (border with India) and Chittagong (the port city) to address the money laundering issues where representatives from Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Coast Guard, Narcotics Control Department, customs, police, local administration and business community participated.
"We've found many recommendations from the outreach meetings. The meetings developed our understanding, practically the border situation, and helped us address and identify the risks of money laundering, cross-border trade, smuggling and Hundi, which will reflect on the NRA report," Fanafillah said.
