The High Court has summoned the head of Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) to explain an ‘incomplete report’ filed in compliance with the Swiss envoy’s comment on black money stashed in Swiss banks. A bench of justices Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Khizir Hayat passed the order on Tuesday, asking Md Masud Biswas to appear before it on Wednesday and explain the report — filed in an affidavit form — that contains no name, address or position of the person who submitted the same.
Submitting such a report is like taking an action but without any responsibility, the court observed during the hearing. Deputy attorney general AKM Amin Uddin represented the state while advocate Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) during the hearing.
Khurshid said the report submitted by BFIU was not appropriate as it does not mention who submitted it and also doesn’t contain any signature. “The HC was disappointed with the report,” he said. On August 10, the Swiss ambassador in Dhaka Nathalie Chuard said that they have been providing the Bangladesh government with all information regarding deposits of Bangladeshi money in Swiss banks, “but no request has been submitted regarding any particular account”.
On August 11, the HC bench ordered the government and the ACC to explain why the government didn’t seek information of deposits of Bangladesh money stashed in Swiss banks. On August 14, BFIU was asked to submit a report in this regard in the affidavit form.
On August 21, following the HC order, BFIU’s report was submitted stating that the information regarding deposits of 67 Bangladeshis in various Swiss banks was sought from the authorities concerned in Bern. But the Swiss authorities only provided the details of one individual in this regard which BFIU also submitted to the ACC, BFIU said in its report.
According to the report, the Swiss bank published its annual report on June 16 this year. On the following day, the Swiss authorities were requested to provide necessary information about the money deposited by Bangladeshi banks and individuals in various Swiss banks through Egmont Secure Web (ESW).
However, Bangladesh has not yet received any information. BFIU even asked FIEU for this information on June 17 last, it added.
