Special tribunals planned for terrorist financing cases

The government is going to set up special tribunals for the disposal of cases of terrorist financing and money laundering in the terrorism and militancy-prone areas of the country. Concerned authorities have already identified several such areas. The Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry will appoint special judges for these tribunals. The decision to set up special tribunals for the disposal of money laundering cases was taken at the latest meeting of the National Coordination Council on Combating Terrorist Financing and Money Laundering, presided over by Finance Minister AMA Muhith at the Finance Ministry auditorium. Officials from the Financial Institutions Division said the Law Ministry was now working on the matter. Identified crime and terrorism-prone areas according to intelligence reports are Satkhira, Chandpur, Noakhali, Chittagong, Feni, Rajshahi, Gaibandha, Bogra, Mymensingh and Sylhet, among others. These areas are vulnerable to terrorist attacks and law enforcement agencies are maintaining strong vigilance there. Under the provisions of Section 28 (1) of the Anti Terrorism Act 2009, the government can form special tribunals for the quick disposal of the terrorism and militancy cases. According to the Police Headquarters, the total number of cases of money laundering and terrorist financing stood at 850 till March 2017, of which 609 cases are under trial. Financial Institutions Division Senior Secretary Md Enusur Rahman told the Dhaka Tribune on Saturday that the government has showed zero tolerance against terrorist financing and money laundering. “The National Coordination Council recommended special tribunals several years back, but it is a lengthy process and the Law Ministry is now looking into the matter,” he said. “Illegal money transaction will come down to a minimum if the government runs these special tribunals to dispose cases of money laundering and terrorist financing,” he added. Money laundering cases are not given importance in the ordinary courts, the senior secretary said. But he did not elaborate the plan for setting up the special tribunals.