Finance minister declines to comment on BB reserve heist

Finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal on Tuesday declined to say anything regarding the Bangladesh Bank reserve heist worth of 81 million dollars (Tk 8.1 billion).
“As the proceedings of a lawsuit regarding the Bangladesh Bank reserve heist are underway, nothing can be said about it. It won’t be right either,” the minister told newspersons after a meeting with chairmen and managing directors of four state-owned banks this afternoon.

“We can’t say what would happen until the case is settled,” Kamal added.

Around three years after the incident, Bangladesh Bank filed a case with the New York Southern District Court in the US on 31 January this year, accusing 20 persons and institutions.

The accused are five financial institutions and casinos of Philippines, 12 Filipinos and 3 Chinese.

The central bank, however, has not been decided whether the case will be preceded in New York.

The cyber heist took place around three and a half years ago, on the night of 4 February 2016.

Bangladesh Bank realised the theft the next day, but kept it undercover for another 24 days. In fact, it was on the 33rd day after the heist that the central bank officially informed the finance minister about the matter.