The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mamunur Rashid

The Government is trying to bring back the illegally deposited Tk 14 crore with a Hong Kong bank by the former foreign minister M Morshed Khan and his son Faisal Morshed Khan.

Interpol had detected the deposit of over Tk 14.15 crore by former foreign minister M Morshed Khan and his son Faisal Morshed Khan. Director General (Admin) of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Col Hanif Iqbal said yesterday the former Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan and his son Faisal Morshed Khan have huge money at foreign bank, the issues relating to money laundering and asset recovery from abroad are time-consuming matters, as they involve some other aspects including bilateral treaties. "The process has begun in this regard," said the Director General.

Hanif Iqbal said that on the wealth statements submitted to the ACC by the duo, there was no mention of the reported Tk 14 crore. "It can be assumed that they have concealed the information."

He said that it was to be proved as to how this money had gone abroad and the Commission was working on how to get back the money after it would be proved.

The ACC had filed corruption cases against Morshed Khan and his son Faisal Morshed Khan on charges of building up huge wealth through illegal means and concealing information on their assets worth Tk 91.34 lakh in statements to the watchdog.

Both the Khans have been convicted in several cases relating to corruption, after the caretaker government came to power in January 2007.

The Hong Kong police, through International Criminal Police Organization the (Interpol) Dhaka office, have informed the matter to the government and wanted to know whether Bangladesh want to take away the money.

Sources said, the Hong Kong police have uncovered 16 million Hong Kong dollars in the account was laundered from the earnings of Citycell, a telco jointly owned by Morshed Khan and his son. But they did not mention the name of the bank in the letter sent to Dhaka Interpol nine days ago.

Officers of Bangladesh Interpol forwarded it to the Bangladesh Bank, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Attorney General and other higher authorities of the government."

Police source said, "We have received the information through a letter sent by the Hong Kong Interpol. They have forwarded the information to the authorities concerned for action."

Earlier on April 13, another special court sentenced Faisal for seven years for aiding and abetting Shahjahan Chowdhury, a former Jamaat lawmaker, in committing crimes and amassing wealth illegally.

Meanwhile, on August 4, Morshed Khan was sentenced to 13 years' rigorous imprisonment on charges of amassing wealth illegally and concealing information in his wealth statement to the ACC. Both the father and son are on the run.

Faisal, managing director of Pacific Motors and Chairman of AB Bank Ltd, was also sentenced to eight years' rigorous imprisonment for acquiring wealth beyond his known sources of income and two years' imprisonment for hiding information about his wealth.

Since Faisal is absconding, the sentences will come into effect the day he surrenders or is arrested.