Law minister apprises press of his US visit
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
In his first press conference since returning from the US, Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed said Tuesday that the US intelligence network would be providing assistance to curb terrorism and militancy in Bangladesh, reports UNB.
Talking to the journalists at his ministry, the technocrat minister said Washington would also identify formal and informal financiers of militants, as well as those involved in hundi business.
The assistance would be provided through the legal wing at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, he added.
Moreover, the law minister said US would provide legal assistance to detect money siphoned out of Bangladesh and deposited in foreign banks, and help in repatriating the money.
Asked about the names of the people who have smuggled out the money and the amount that has been smuggled out, the minister said that could not be disclosed as it could jeopardize the investigation into the matter. However, he said apart from USA, the money had been siphoned off to Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Shafique said the Bangladesh Bank governor had already issued a circular to all banks instructing them to detect the accounts involved in siphoning off the money, or other transactions for the purpose of financing militancy. He said the Money Laundering Act would be improved further to cover such transactions.
On the deportation of the absconding killers of Bangabandhu, the law minister said he had been assured by the concerned US officials that the Bangladesh government would be informed about the whereabouts of the killers as and when the US authorities themselves came to know about them, and they would also help in deporting them to Bangladesh.
Talking to the journalists at his ministry, the technocrat minister said Washington would also identify formal and informal financiers of militants, as well as those involved in hundi business.
The assistance would be provided through the legal wing at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, he added.
Moreover, the law minister said US would provide legal assistance to detect money siphoned out of Bangladesh and deposited in foreign banks, and help in repatriating the money.
Asked about the names of the people who have smuggled out the money and the amount that has been smuggled out, the minister said that could not be disclosed as it could jeopardize the investigation into the matter. However, he said apart from USA, the money had been siphoned off to Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Shafique said the Bangladesh Bank governor had already issued a circular to all banks instructing them to detect the accounts involved in siphoning off the money, or other transactions for the purpose of financing militancy. He said the Money Laundering Act would be improved further to cover such transactions.
On the deportation of the absconding killers of Bangabandhu, the law minister said he had been assured by the concerned US officials that the Bangladesh government would be informed about the whereabouts of the killers as and when the US authorities themselves came to know about them, and they would also help in deporting them to Bangladesh.