ACC to work with FBI to bring back laundered money

The Anti-Corruption Commission has decided to work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the US to bring back money siphoned off abroad.

The decision came at a meeting yesterday between the ACC's money laundering and legal wings and an FBI delegation, said meeting sources.

The meeting primarily decided to form a joint taskforce to work on preventing money laundering.

Led by FBI Legal Attaché Robert Cameron, the two-member delegation of the US federal agency reached the ACC headquarters in the afternoon. Cameron, however, did not speak to the media.

The other member of the delegation, which arrived in Dhaka on Sunday, is Muhammad Aminul Islam, a police liaison specialist.

A senior ACC official, who was present at the meeting, said the discussion focused on forming the joint taskforce. "We sought FBI's assistance to recover the laundered money."

He said the meeting also discussed whether the FBI would directly participate in the joint taskforce. "We initially agreed that the FBI will work as a consultant."

The official said signing of a memorandum of understanding between the FBI and the ACC also came up for discussion.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, ACC Secretary Khorsheda Yasmeen said it was a courtesy meeting.

"They [FBI officials] wanted to learn how the ACC operates. They have assured us of providing support in recovering laundered money, if needed."

On Sunday, Commerce Adviser Saleh Uddin Ahmed announced plans to form a special taskforce to recover laundered money.

Speaking to the media at the commerce ministry, the adviser said the authorities were working on establishing the taskforce's operating guidelines and the criteria on picking its members.

ACC sources said the special taskforce will include representatives from Bangladesh Bank, Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit, the ACC, the Finance Division, the NBR, the Attorney General's Office, and the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission, among other agencies.