Parliament demands identification of money launderers

The finance minister demanded an additional sanction of Tk 495 crore 52 lakh 29 thousand in the supplementary budget for the financial institutions department. Opposition Chief Whip Mujibul Haque, proposing a retrenchment on this demand, said that money laundering is the major cause of the dollar crisis. Businessmen, politicians, bureaucrats whoever they are, those who have smuggled money abroad, have houses, hotels in Canada, Europe, America, should be investigated and identified. Even if the money can be recovered, they have to be identified.

Mujibul Haque urged the present Finance Minister to stop the irregularities in the financial sector, claiming that the previous Finance Minister (Ahm Mustafa Kamal) did not listen.

Jatiya Party Member of Parliament Mujibul Haque said that the major task of the Financial Institutions Department is to supervise the banking sector. He asked the question, that people’s money is being looted, irregularities are happening in the bank, are the financial institutions department or Bangladesh Bank supervising? PK Halder left with thousands of crores of rupees, many times big companies take loans, later their interest is waived off, can the finance minister answer all these?

Mujibul Haque said that the interest of Tk 2,200 crore has been waived, while the farmer has been arrested for Tk 50,000. A bank owner has been waived interest worth Rs. This Member of Parliament of Jatiya Party also raised the question why spend money here if control cannot be established in the financial sector.

Pankaj Nath, an independent member of parliament, said that money is being laundered in the discussion of the retrenchment proposal. Be strict about this. Action should be taken against willful defaulters. It is important to restore order in the banking sector.

Independent Member of Parliament Hamidul Haque Khandkar said that there is no clear explanation as to why the Financial Institutions Department has demanded additional approval. Finance Minister is honest and experienced. The money smuggled by Arafat Rahman Koko in the past has been brought back. He expressed hope that those who have looted and smuggled money in the country, that money will be brought back.

In response to the criticism of the parliamentarians, the finance minister said that the things that have been said about irregularities are a lot of nonsense.

The retrenchment proposals were later rejected by voice vote.

Question on ‘Earning and Learning’ project

An additional sanction of Tk 14 crore 26 lakh 60 thousand is demanded for the information and communication technology department.

Opposition Chief Whip Mujibul Haque gave a speech on this demand by proposing retrenchment. Demanding to check whether the learning and earning projects of the ICT department are running properly, he said, those who come to learn in this project, cannot assimilate properly. There is a waste here.

Highlighting the media report about irregularities in ICT Park in Jessore, Mujibul Haque said, ICT Park has been built in the name of the Prime Minister, how are hotel management, wedding ceremonies, social events done there?

Independent Member of Parliament Pankaj Nath said, ‘It is not right that work is not being done, work is being done. But if you open the box of Doyle and find a Chinese computer, is it a waste or corruption? Parliament wants to know what measures have been taken against it.

Pankaj Nath said, ‘Is the computer given in the name of Sheikh Russell Digital Lab working at all, or is it rusted? You (Minister of State for ICT) look into your constituency. Evidence of corruption found in the name of modernization of postal department?

Source: prothomalo