[🇧🇩] Everything about Hasina's misrule/Laundered Money etc.

Saif · Dec 7, 2024

Over 16,000 killed in last 5 years of Awami League government

There was no respite even during the coronavirus outbreak in 2020 as some 3,500 murders were recorded in the year.

en.prothomalo.com

Over 16,000 killed in last 5 years of Awami League government
Staff Correspondent
Dhaka
Updated: 07 Dec 2024, 10: 05

Murder Prothom Alo illustration

More than 16,000 people were killed across the country during the last five years under the Awami League government, says the police headquarters.

The information comes from crime statistics published on the police headquarters' website on Thursday. With this, the police authorities resumed publication of the crime data after a disruption of more than five years.

According to the police headquarters, a total of 16,555 murder incidents took place in the country between 2019 and December 2023, based on the number of cases filed. As a single case sometimes involves multiple murders, the number might be even higher.

During the period, an average of 3,311 murders took place per year. There was no respite even during the coronavirus outbreak in 2020 as some 3,500 murders were recorded in the year.

Besides, a total of 9,955 cases of mugging and 1,685 cases of robbery were recorded throughout the period.

According to sources, the actual figures of mugging and robbery should be much higher as most of the victims do not file lawsuits to evade extra hassle. Also, the police sometimes refuse to record cases over incidents of robbery and, in many instances, register robbery cases as incidents of burglary.

The Awami League government filed numerous 'fictitious cases' against opposition political leaders and activists, alleging attacks on the police and explosion of cocktails, despite no actual incidents taking place. Later, the police stopped publishing crime data.
During the five years, a total of 2,452 kidnapping cases were registered, while the number of burglary cases is around 55,000.

It was a regular practice for the police force to disclose crime data on its website until 2018. However, the practice was stopped before the 11th parliamentary elections in the face of a huge public outcry over a large number of fictitious cases.

The Awami League government then filed numerous 'fictitious cases' against opposition political leaders and activists, alleging attacks on the police and explosion of cocktails, despite no actual incidents taking place.

Against the backdrop, Prothom Alo published a report under the title “A deadly September in Dhaka!” on 20 December, 2018.

According to the report, the police filed some 578 sabotage cases in Dhaka alone in September. The police claimed to have encountered 90 violent attacks in the capital throughout the month, but the city dwellers were completely unaware of the violence.

In the face of a huge public outcry over the fictitious cases, the police headquarters stopped publishing the crime data on its website and also removed the previously available data.

Saif · Dec 9, 2024

Why bringing the laundered money back may not be easy

Dirty money is conveniently welcomed in host economies, becoming clean until proven otherwise.

www.thedailystar.net

Why bringing the laundered money back may not be easy
Bringing back laundered money

VISUAL: ANWAR SOHEL

December 9 is observed worldwide as the annual International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD). No country is free from corruption; it is as much a national problem as international. Corrupt practices and failure to prevent and control it in one country facilitates corruption in another, especially high-level corruption including money laundering.

What often fails to draw sufficient attention are the systemic loopholes that drive high-level corruption and illicit international financial transfers on both supply and demand sides. Ironically, the suppliers are most of the worst ranked countries in global corruption indices, while some of the "best performers" are the beneficiaries. The latter group is also regarded as the global leaders of the fight against corruption, financial crime and money laundering. For every dollar received by developing countries as ODA, at least 10 dollars are lost through money laundering.

IACD is a reminder that nearly all countries in both categories who have ratified the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), have pledged to take concrete and collective action against corruption at both national and international levels. This year's theme for IACD is "Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow's Integrity." The idea is to amplify voices of the young integrity leaders to express their concerns and aspirations, with the hope that their call will be heard and acted upon.

IACD is being observed this year in Bangladesh against a backdrop scripted in golden letters about the youth's invincible courage and power that led to the fall of one of the world's worst kleptocratic-authoritarian regimes, at an extremely high cost of deaths, injuries and multi-dimensional and multi-level violation of human rights. The youth's vision of a new Bangladesh is anchored in the total rejection of long years of state capture that facilitated and provided impunity to corruption, especially at high level, creating floodgates of money laundering.

The humiliating defeat of the authoritarian regime opened unprecedented opportunities for transition towards a "new Bangladesh" that's free from abuse of power, institutionalised corruption, kleptocracy and unbridled money laundering. Mandated by people power, the interim government has rightly attached top priority to the state reform agenda with specific emphasis on corruption control as well as repatriation of stolen assets.

Public expectation is high that the bulk of the billions of dollars laundered out of the country over the years may be brought back. The governments and relevant agencies of the leading host countries of Bangladesh's laundered assets appear willing to provide legal and technical support in a spirit of goodwill to the transition opportunity led by the interim government and solidarity with the youth-led people's uprising.

However, the outcome of this goodwill and solidarity in the form of actual return of stolen assets is easier to be expected than realised. There is no denying that our laws and policies were not enforced, relevant institutions like the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Attorney General's Office were captured, rendered dysfunctional and professionally bankrupt. The good news is that, unlike its predecessors, the interim government has the will to act and appear on course to fast-track reforms and practical action towards mobilising the necessary capacity to proceed with the due process consistent with national and international legal standards and practices.

However, the process of repatriation of laundered assets is long and complex, requiring multi-stage collaboration and cooperation between our relevant institutions and those of the countries who have let our laundered money and assets to land there. As illicit as these are, laundered money from Bangladesh has been invested in host economies. Although such transfers and investments are de jure illegal in every such country, syndicates of consultants including law firms, trust experts, offshore specialists, real estate agents, accountants, regulators and banking and financial services counsels facilitate deals in a manner that the dirty money is welcomed quite conveniently and becomes "clean" until proven otherwise in a complex and long-drawn process.

Before every laundered penny is returned, it must be proven in the host country in the due process that it has entered there illegally and actually belongs to Bangladesh. This is why, as per credible assessments, the global experience of the rate of repatriation is no more than only one percent of trillions of dollars stolen a year. The only instance of Bangladesh's success of bringing back stolen money from Singapore took six years—from 2007 to 2013. Nevertheless, given the interest of the host countries to be helpful, there is nothing wrong to expect that in "new Bangladesh," it may not necessarily take that long.

While it is our responsibility, host countries also have the burden not only to assist the repatriation process, but also ensure due diligence and accountability of the syndicates of enablers to prevent further flow of funds. Unfortunately, the track record in most cases is far from encouraging. There is much to be desired about their compliance with the standards set by the Paris-based global money laundering watchdog, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

FATF reports that most of the host countries of Bangladesh's laundered money have a well-developed regime to control money laundering. But almost all are also reported to be short or inconsistent of supervision and accountability across various relevant sectors. There are weaknesses in reporting and investigation of suspicious transactions. Some are even found to have less than desired levels of understanding of money laundering risks. Lack of effective mitigation measures against vulnerabilities of the high-end real estate agents, lawyers, accountants, trustees and investment advisers also persist.

This is not to underestimate the importance of stronger legal, institutional and policy reforms and actions at our end. However, of equal if not more importance, is greater control and compliance at the demand side. No real progress in prevention of money laundering can be expected without more concrete actions against welcoming the flow of illicit financial transfers in host countries. Concerted and collective action at both ends of money laundering are long overdue not only for repatriation, but more importantly for effective prevention.

Dr Iftekharuzzaman is executive director at Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB).

Saif · Dec 14, 2024

Taskforce to probe money laundering by 10 major groups

ACC, NBR, and CID expected to probe S Alam, Beximco, Summit, Bashundhara, Gemcon, Orion, Nabil, Nassa, Sikder and Aramit groups

www.thedailystar.net

Taskforce to probe money laundering by 10 major groups
Bringing back laundered money

VISUAL: ANWAR SOHEL

A government taskforce has decided to investigate the money laundering and other misdeeds allegedly carried out by 10 major business groups of the country.

Ten separate inter-agency probe teams are going to be formed within this week to investigate into the allegations and the necessary directives has already given to the offices concerned, officials said.

Teams will be comprised of the members of the Anti-Corruption Commission, National Board of Revenue, and Criminal Investigation Department of police.

The move came as the interim government intensified efforts to recover money laundered allegedly by major corporate giants that thrived under the Awami League government.

A total of $234 billion was siphoned off from Bangladesh between 2009 and 2023, according to an estimate of a government-commissioned white paper committee on the economy.

The business groups are: S Alam Group, Beximco Group, Summit Group, Bashundhara Group, Gemcon Group, Orion Group, Nabil Group, Nassa Group, Sikder Group, and Aramit Group.

The interim government last month formed a 11-member taskforce to recover laundered money, which is considered as major reason behind the financial crisis of the country.

Saif · Dec 15, 2024

Time for many to apologise

It is time for discerning citizens to ponder over the factors and circumstances that have brought us to this precarious condition.

www.thedailystar.net

Time for many to apologise

Our politicians, civil servants, kleptocrats, media, and educators must apologise for their collaboration with Hasina’s fascist regime. FILE PHOTO: RASHED SUMON

Given the politico-administrative culture of Bangladesh, it was quite refreshingly surprising to watch the Inspector General of Police (IGP) apologising to the citizens for the criminal excesses committed by the police during July-August mass uprising. He promised to bring the deviant police officials to book for their blatant criminal acts to meet the ends of justice. In fact, this is the minimum he must do to assuage the agonies of the near and dear ones of the victims who suffered immeasurably from the deaths and injuries caused by police action. The enormity of the casualties, numbering a thousand, and the injuries of several thousand shall remain an indelible shame on our national consciousness.

While the police force appears to be the visible principal offender in the indiscriminate loss of lives, a question arises as to whether other organs of the state that resorted to disproportionate use of lethal force have similarly apologised to the nation or, at the least, displayed some remorse or repentance. Then there are others at the policy level and at the strategic command position who are no less culpable in the deaths of scores of defenceless civilians during the uprising. Don't they need to apologise, notwithstanding their corporate criminal liability? Specifically, shouldn't our politicians, whose unbridled desire for power and single-minded pursuit of money have landed us in this mess, atone?

It is time for discerning citizens to ponder over the factors and circumstances that have brought us to this precarious condition. During the preceding years, particularly in the last 15, the establishment has subordinated the individual to the government so completely that, with few exceptions, the nation is now made up of one-dimensional human beings. The government has dwarfed its citizens so that they may be docile instruments, without realising that with small men, no great thing can really be accomplished.

We have devalued the judiciary, as we have devalued every other important institution. Instead of defending our judges against political pressures and threats, and instead of insisting upon integrity and impartiality in judicial appointments, we have deliberately allowed the executive to supersede judges of calibre and courage and appoint persons who "subscribe to the philosophy of the ruling party." The underlying disease that has destroyed our democracy is moral, political, and constitutional, and to cure it, we must recognise it as such.

Our politicians need to appreciate that the tone of public life has reached an all-time low. We have been burdened with so-called democracy without meritocracy, wherein ignorance, incompetence, and dishonesty are no disqualifications for high public office. Sadly, persons have been appointed to such offices because they represent a group or belong to a particular region. The ethos of public service has been badly compromised, and many government officials have behaved and acted subserviently.

Our leaders need to apologise because they have not ventured beyond the safe provision of personal gratifications and have strengthened the autocrat by acting as sycophants and time-servers. History will apportion blame and responsibility among a wide spectrum of politicians who betrayed their trust. Their pretensions to infallibility will remain a sad chapter in our political existence.

It is no secret now that some of our prominent businessmen and bankers have fleeced the economy so comprehensively that it is becoming a mind-boggling exercise to put the house in order. Our kleptocrats had a field day while the nation bled. Don't they need to apologise to the nation?

Our educators who are fondly addressed as the builders of the nation have largely failed to act as the moral supervisors. Quite disgracefully, many of them have been willing collaborators in the continuation of undemocratic dispensation, both within and outside academia. A number of senior teachers have jockeyed for key appointments in an unbecoming manner, creating unhealthy precedents. Don't these educators need to apologise for their failings?

A segment of the media, the vital corrective institution aptly called the Fourth Estate, has been sadly and conspicuously biased and polarised in reporting and commenting on the state of public affairs. Some of them have towed official propaganda in the most unprofessional manner. The deviance in the media, no doubt, makes us look petty and small. Don't the conscientious gentlemen and women in the media need to apologise?

It is an unfortunate fact of our public life that the majority of our leaders personify the arrogance of power—the exact opposite of the unfeigned humility of great souls. One might not be wrong to assume that we now have two sharply divided castes—the rulers and the ruled. The ruling caste too often displays a dangerous blend of unscrupulousness and plain wickedness. It is now time for them to apologise and atone to the ruled.

Muhammad Nurul Huda is former IGP of Bangladesh Police.

Saif · Dec 16, 2024

'Hasina is more dangerous than Sheikh Mujib': BNP's Dudu

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Vice-Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu has said that Sheikh Hasina is more dangerous than her father Sheikh Mujib. “There is no count of how many thousands of mothers Hasina has emptied their chests in the last 16 years. She has made 2000 leaders and activists

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

'Hasina is more dangerous than Sheikh Mujib': BNP's Dudu
Published :
Dec 16, 2024 23:16
Updated :
Dec 16, 2024 23:16

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Vice-Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu has said that Sheikh Hasina is more dangerous than her father Sheikh Mujib.

“There is no count of how many thousands of mothers Hasina has emptied their chests in the last 16 years. She has made 2000 leaders and activists, including BNP's former Organising Secretary M Ilias Ali, disappear or end their lives by sending them to mirror rooms (Ayna Ghar),” he claimed.

Dudu said this while addressing as the chief guest at a brief street rally in front of the BNP party office at the Grand Hotel intersection in the Rangpur city on Monday afternoon, BSS reports.

Dudu said that Sheikh Hasina used to say with pride that Mujib's daughter does not run away. But, she has run such a race that no one else in the country has been able to run like this. Or is she thinking of returning?

“I want you (Hasina) to come to the country. You will have to answer for how many people you have killed and how many lakhs or crores of Taka you have laundered. You have killed democracy and endangered freedoms,” he said.

Dudu said, “You (Hasina) must also answer why you turned the people of Bangladesh into slaves of India.”

“We want to build Bangladesh, for which the war of independence was fought. Just as Shaheed Zia made food self-sufficient, gave work to workers, and ensured employment to the unemployed, Tarique Rahman and Begum Khaleda Zia want to build Bangladesh,” he said.

Dudu said, “We know how to give blood, we know how to protest, we know how to make sacrifices. BNP does not bow down to anyone except Allah.”

The BNP Vice-chairman said, in 1971, Shaheed Ziaur Rahman declared independence of the country from Kalurghat Betar Kendra, ‘I, Major Ziaur Rahman, declare the independence of Bangladesh.’

“There was no declaration beyond this declaration. Some of the country's deceivers have told various lies to belittle Shaheed Zia,” he said.

Shamsuzzaman Dudu said, after independence, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman single-handedly seized power and killed 40,000 opposition party members with his ‘Rakshi Bahini’ in three and a half years.

“He (Sheikh Mujib) caused famine and pushed millions of people to death. At that time, Basanti of the North wore fishing net to cover her body since she had no clothes to wear,” Dudu mentioned.

With Rangpur Metropolitan BNP convener Shamsuzzaman Samu in the chair, BNP's Rangpur Divisional Assistant Secretary Abdul Khaleque addressed the street rally.

Metropolitan BNP Member-secretary Advocate Mahfuz-un-Nabi Don, district BNP convener Md Saiful Islam, district BNP leader Emdadul Haque Bharsha, metropolitan BNP Joint Convener Shahidul Islam Mizu, BNP leader Abdus Salam and others were present.

Later, a huge Victory Rally was brought out on the streets with the participation of thousands of leaders and workers of district and metropolitan BNP, Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal, Swechchasebak Dal, Zia Mancha, Krishak Dal, Sramik Dal, Mohila Dal and JASAS.