The High Court has summoned Md Masud Biswas, head of Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), seeking an explanation for not following due process while filing a report on money deposited by Bangladeshis in the Swiss banks.
The BFIU chief was asked to appear before the court on Wednesday.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Khizir Hayat passed the order during hearing a suo muto (voluntary) rule on Tuesday.
BFIU submitted the report on Monday saying that they repeatedly sought information from the Swiss authorities about the money laundering.
According to the court, the report did not carry the name, designation or signature of the BFIU chief, and therefore, failed to meet procedural requirements.
"Why is there so much fear about attaching the name and designation?" the court asked.
On August 10, at the “DCAB Talk” organized by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) at the National Press Club, Switzerland's ambassador to Dhaka, Nathalie Chuard, said that the Bangladesh government did not ask for information about the money deposited in the Swiss bank for any specific person.
After taking notice of the matter on August 11, the High Court asked the state party and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to inform why the information of the depositors in the Swiss bank was not requested.
Later, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen alleged that the Swiss ambassador had lied.
He said Bangladesh sought information on the deposits of Bangladeshi money in the Swiss banks, but the Swiss side did not respond to the query.
On August 14, the HC bench said that the statements made by the Switzerland ambassador, Bangladesh government, and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) regarding the issue are "contradictory".
The statement of Swiss Ambassador to Bangladesh Nathalie Chuard, who reportedly said that Bangladesh has never sought any specific information on money deposited by its citizens to banks in Switzerland, has created an embarrassing situation, the bench said.
On August 27, the Embassy of Switzerland has informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Nathalie Chuard's statement regarding Bangladesh seeking information on the deposits of Bangladeshi money in Swiss banks was wrong.
