FBI to assist CID to identify hackers

- FBI-CID to work jointly, official says after meeting

- The team will identify hackers, financial beneficiaries

- Half-an-hour meeting that discussed technical aspects

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will team up with Bangladesh police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate the cyber heist at Bangladesh Bank's account with New York's Federal Reserve Bank.

The decision came as an announcement from CID's additional Deputy Inspector General Shah Alam after a half-an-hour meeting between the two sides in Dhaka's CID headquarters this afternoon.

Agenda of the discussion spanned around technical aspects, Shah Alam told reporters. "We will have cyber experts who will trace the IP address of the hackers and the financial beneficiaries."

Earlier in January, hackers stole $101 million from the central bank's account with the New York Federal Reserve Bank. The issue came to surface after a month and resulted in major changes to Bangladesh Bank's management.

Atiur Rahman was forced to quit as governor of the central bank. Two other deputy governors were also told to resign and the finance ministry's banking secretary demoted in actions taken by the government.

Now, the government is trying to recollect the stolen money. However, Philippines officials have said there is "slim chance" of securing $81 million of that money that has already flown out of its banking system.

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The CID was tasked with the investigation after the central bank on March 15 filed a case with Motijheel Police Station in connection with the heist. The case sued some unknown assailants over the heist.

Today's meeting was scheduled to be held on Friday. However, it was rescheduled for today without citing any reasons. One FBI official took part in the meeting with several CID officials.

The FBI official left the CID headquarters without talking to the press.