The government has asked all its law enforcement agencies and Bangladesh Bank to dig up the sources of the financing for the Islamist militant outfits in the country.
The directive was given at the first meeting of the task force headed by Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu.
A 17-member task force was constituted on August 20 this year to strengthen coordination between different agencies working to trace the source of militant funding.
The first meeting of the task force was held yesterday at the Home Ministry with Amir Hossain Amu in the chair.
State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan, Senior Secretary of the Home Ministry Mozammel Haque Khan, Inspector General of Police Hassan Mahmood Khandaker, secretaries from various ministries, deputy governor of the Bangladesh Bank, chiefs of BGB, RAB, DGFI, NSI, DG of Islamic Foundation, among others, were present at the meeting.
Seeking anonymity a senior official at the Home Ministry said all agencies were asked to launch the operation and submit their reports before the next meeting.
A senior official who attended the meeting quoting intelligence report said an outfit is funding a coaching centre loyal to the organisation. It wants the coaching recipients to become judges who will ultimately support its cause in future.
Earlier the Jamaat-e-Islami sent 100 graduates to UK to study law to become barristers so that they can later come into handy for the organisation, the official quoted the discussion at the meeting.
According to the working paper of the meeting, a militant outfit spends an enormous amount of money on its organisational activities prompting the government to find out its source of income.
Different organisations and persons at home and abroad directly or indirectly finance for the Islamist militant campaign in the country, he said.
Sometimes the extremists are involved in drug peddling, human trafficking, gold and arms smuggling to collect money to carry out their day-to-day campaign, he quoted the meeting as saying.
The paper also reads that the militant organisations very often use Bangladesh territory as a transit. Besides, these organisations donate money to medical and educational institutions to whip up support from the beneficiaries.
The official also said the country receives huge remittance from middle-eastern countries and a section of people donate money for religious purposes. “We need to look into the matter to see for what purposes the money is spent.”
Meanwhile, another source said the government would monitor the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities of the scheduled banks.
The activities of non-government organisations and bigger religious institutions would also be monitored. Money transfer through mobile banking and courier service would come under the government watch. The Islamic Foundation too will work to this end to look into militant financing.
Citing various research findings Major general (retd) Abdur Rashid at the meeting said
Islamic business organisations like Muslim Aid and Al Islami also provide fund for extremism.
“A huge amount of money comes from middle-eastern countries in the name of zakat and a certain portion of it goes to the fund of the militant organisation.
After the meeting Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu told the reporters that the government would take stern action against those involved in the funding militant organisations.
Amu said: “We are trying to rein in the Islamist extremism in the country and also trying to stop their funding.”
“We will take necessary steps as per the terrorism prevention act.”
