The government has ordered the intelligence agencies to investigate the expenditure report recently submitted by the Islami Bank.
State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told reporters at the secretariat on Thursday morning.
Indicating the Islamic banks and insurance companies for militant financing, he said: “The law enforcing and intelligent agencies were ordered to examine the statements of the financial institutes as it is suspected that those are involved with militant financing.”
The National Committee on Militancy Resistance and Prevention will monitor how the Islamic or Shariah-based banks and insurance companies spend their profits, he added.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the committee chaired by State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Thursday afternoon.
The junior home minister briefed media after the meeting at the secretariat.
He said the committee also asked the central bank to ensure submission of the reports to the ministry on the expenditures of the Islamic banks and insurance companies.
Regarding the involvement of non-government organisations (NGO), Kamal said: “We are also watching the activities of the NGOs, mainly focused on Chittagong Hill Tracts area based NGOs. Their financial reports are also being examined to control militant financing.”
The National Committee on Militancy Resistance and Prevention was formed in 2009 in a bid to tackle extremism and mobilise public opinion against extremist activities.
The public demand for enhanced surveillance and monitoring on the Islami Bank came to forth since the birth of Ganajagaron Mancha movement in February 2013. The movement sought capital punishment for the war criminals.
Pointing at the bank's alleged link with Jamaat-e-Islam- the party and its top leaders are accused of committing war crimes during 1971 liberation war of Bangladesh - some even demanded a ban. Later, the government came under sharp criticism over taking sponsor in a national anthem program on March 26 this year from Islami Bank as Jamaat Islami.
