Bank and Financial Institutional Division has expressed its concern at the poor performance of the state-run Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) as it failed to submit its technical mutual evaluation report on anti-money laundering activities within a deadline set by Asia Pacific Group (APG).
While talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Banking Secretary M Aslam Alam yesterday came down heavily on the performance of BFIU as the unit had failed to meet the dead line set by Sydney-based APG for submitting its report, which expired on June 12.
Meanwhile, FIU submitted a draft report, instead of final one, on technical mutual evaluation on the country’s anti-money laundering activities on June 24, a second deadline.
He also said, “Our mutual evaluation report will be discussed at APG’s annual meeting and the forum on Technical Assistance & Training scheduled to be held in Auckland, New Zealand from July 13-17.”
Secretary also accused the high officials of BFIU of not performing their due responsibilities.
Attending the board meeting of Bangladesh Bank, he said, “I’ve informed the BB board about the lacking of efficiency among the officials of the unit.”
He also hinted that more efficient people would be recruited soon to run the BFIU more effectively.
The BB governor Atiur Rahman has already selected a retired general manager of BB, Deb Prasad Debnath on a contractual basis for the BFIU, he added.
He further said, “Bangladesh’s name has been taken off from the ‘grey list’ of international money laundering watch dog-Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in February 2014 but if we can’t fulfill the imposed conditions, Bangladesh may again fall into the grey list”.
A week before, the central bank undertook a move to take action against its 20 officials of BFIU, who led a demonstration protesting a decision to appoint a general manager on a contractual basis for the unit.
BB served notice on the higher officials, asking them to explain in three days why punitive action should not be taken for staging demonstrations during office hours and all officials made exempt from their allegation.
Of the 20 officials, 11 are deputy general managers and nine joint directors, deputy directors and assistant directors.
In this regard, a board meeting of BB was held on June 21 amid obstacles created by 200 demonstrating employees.
The demonstrators handed over a letter to all the board members asking them not to appoint a general manager from outside on a contractual basis.
The board, however, expressed its dissatisfaction over the demonstrations by the BB officials. Attending the board meeting, one of the influential board member was learnt to suggest the governor to fire the BB staffs who are staging demonstrations, according to a BB officials.