FM censured in parliament for granting amnesty to launderers

Lawmakers from ruling and opposition parties castigated the finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on Sunday for allowing the launderers to bring their illegal money back to the country without any questioning.

Several parliamentarians claimed the corrupt people will be encouraged if it takes effect. They rather demanded legal action against the money launderers.

Speakers came up with these remarks on Sunday while addressing the supplementary budget discussion in parliament.

In the budget for 2022-23 fiscal, the government has retained a scope to bring back the laundered money to the country paying 7.5 per cent tax—an initiative that has sparked criticism across the country, fearing it will encourage unscrupulous people to siphon off money abroad in the future.

Opposing the initiative, Jatiya Party (JP) lawmaker Pir Fazlur Rahman said let measures be taken against the people who siphoned off the money in foreign countries. Otherwise, there was no need to enact a money laundering act.

Pir Fazlur said, “Those who siphoned off money abroad have received impunity, which is not acceptable. Finance minister should have worked to prevent the people from sending illegal money abroad during the pandemic period—where he failed utterly.”

“People are suspecting that a group of people is waiting to launder money. If the proposed bill is passed in the House, their goal will be achieved. If the launderers get impunity in this way, people will be encouraged to make money through illegal means,” the JP parliamentarian added.

He lamented people are struggling to earn money honestly on the one hand while launderers will bring their illegal money back paying taxes on the other. At the end, it will appear that the thieves will be the best taxpayers.