Are reports on Bangladeshis owning assets abroad true?

Jatiya Party MP Mujibul Haque Chunnu yesterday asked the finance minister, in parliament, if the news reports over Bangladeshis owning properties abroad were true.

He also asked the government to investigate the allegations to clarify confusion among people.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, however, was absent in parliament when Chunnu made the comments.

News reports claimed that Wasa MD owned multiple houses in the US. Such allegations also came about two members of parliament, he mentioned.

"I will request the finance minister to tell us if these allegations are true," Chunnu said.

Even our foreign minister earlier said there were bureaucrats who were buying homes in Canada's Begum Para. There should be an enquiry into these allegations, he said.

Such news reports, published ahead of the national election, are tarnishing the image of both the government and the opposition, he added.

These are sending a wrong message to people. They now think that MPs and ministers earn hundreds and crores of taka and buy houses in home and abroad, he said.

The finance minister should speak about it and his ministry, along with Bangladesh Bank, should conduct an investigation to make a clear statement on the issue, he further said.