HC orders report on action taken against Bangladeshis named in Panama, Paradise Papers

The High Court has asked the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit and police’s Criminal Investigation Department to provide an account of the steps that have been taken, if any, against the individuals and companies implicated in the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 6 Dec 2021, 03:09 PM
Updated : 6 Dec 2021, 03:09 PM

The court on Monday ordered them to submit a report on the matter as well as the measures taken to curb money laundering within Jan 9, 2022.

The Anti-Corruption Commission has made a list of 43 people named in Panama Papers and Paradise Papers, the leaked documents that showed how the wealthy across the world stash away funds in tax havens to evade taxes through legal loopholes.

It submitted the list to the panel of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and AKM Zahirul Huq on Sunday at the hearing of a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyers Abdul Qayyum Khan and Subir Nandi Das. Qayyum stood for himself and Subir while Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin represented the state.

The ACC had sent letters to the BFIU in 2016 and 2021 to know about the Bangladeshi individuals and companies tied in the scandals. Qayyum said the court wanted to know whether the BFIU have given that information.

The commission said in a report with the list that it had sent letters to the BFIU, the National Board of Revenue and the foreign ministry, but has not received any information from them.

The court asked the national graft-buster why it named 14 people on the Panama Papers list even though 61 Bangladeshi individuals and companies were named in it. ACC lawyer Khurshid said he would report to the court on the matter after speaking to the commission.

NAMES IN PANAMA PAPERS

Those named in Panama Papers are Faisal Ahmed Chowdhury, director of Baraka Patenga Power Ltd, Umme Rubana, director of Setu Corporation, Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury, managing director of Setu Corporation, Azmat Moyeen and Tarique Ikramul Haque, residents of Gulshan, Salma Haque and SM Jobayedul Haque, residents of Banani, Syed Sirajul Haque, a resident of Baridhara, Dilip Kumar Modi and Sharif Zahir, residents of Dhanmondi, Hasan Mahmood, chairman of United Group, and its directors Khondaker Moinul Ahsan Shamim, Ahmed Ismail Hossain and Akhter Mahmood.

NAMES IN PARADISE PAPERS

Those named in Paradise Papers include BNP leader Abdul Awal Mintoo, his wife Nasreen Fatema Awal and their sons Tabith Md Awal, Tasfir Mohammed Awal and Tajwar Md Awal; Mogol Farida Y and Shahid Ullah, expatriates in the US; Chowdhury Faisal, a resident of Banani; Ahmad Samir, a resident of Baridhara; Brummer and Partners Asset Management Bangladesh Ltd; Moosa Bin Shamsher of Venus Overseas Co; Fazle Elahi of Dynamic Energy; KH Asadul Islam and Farhan Yakubur Rahman of Intrepid Group; Zulfiker Ahmed of Khaleda Shipping Company; Tajul Islam Tajul, Faruk Palwan and Mohammad Kamal Bhuiyan of Narayanganj’s Jemico Trade International; Mohammad Maleque of Chattogram’s Bengal Shipping Line; Shahnaz Huda Razzak of Dhaka’s Southern Ice Shipping Company; Imran Rahman of Ocean Ice Shipping Company; and Mohammad A Awal of Shams Shipping Ltd.

The others are Eric Jonson Andres Wilson, a resident of Uttara; Amanullah Chagla of Padma Textile; Mohammad Atiquzzman of Russia’s New Technology Investment; Mohammad Rezaul Haque of Malta; Mahtaba Rahman of Shelcon Shipping Ltd; and Mahmud Hossain of Ireland’s Global Education System.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen had in November last year confirmed some cases of money laundering to Canada. Most of the money launderers are civil servants, followed by politicians and businessmen, he said. The minister, however, did not name anyone.

Several media reported the purchase of homes by many Bangladeshis in Toronto with millions of dollars “laundered” from Bangladesh.

The High Court later asked for the details of money launderers and the actions taken against them. It also ordered the authorities to make a list detailing how many Bangladeshis have how much money stashed away in the banks of Switzerland following a writ petition seeking action to recover the funds. The court is hearing the cases together now.

Following the orders, the CID submitted a report to the High Court detailing the laundering of over Tk 3.1 billion by individuals and organisations in seven cases in Dhaka and Chattogram on Jul 12.

The people named in the report include Jubo League’s expelled leaders Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat and Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan, and AKM Mominul Haque alias Sayeed Commissioner, a former Dhaka South City Corporation councillor.

The other accused are Rajib Hossain Rana of Faridpur’s Boalmari, Jamal of Netrokona’s Barhatta, Shariful Islam and Awlad Hossain of Cumilla’s Daudkandi, Enamul Haque of Feni’s Chhagalnaiya, Md Shahjahan Bablu of Cumilla’s Nangalkot, Nazmul Abedin and Sohel Abedin of Chattogram’s Khulshi, AKM Jahid Hosain of Chattogram’s Pahartoli and four to five unidentified people.

The organisations named in the CID report are A and B Outerwear, and Norm Outfit and Accessories, both based in Chattogram.