Make list of loan defaulters, money launderers: HC

High court
High court

The High Court on Wednesday asked the authorities concerned to prepare a list of loan defaulters and money launderers of the last 20 years and submit it to the court, reports UNB.

The HC also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned to explain why order should not be given to form a powerful commission to identify irregularities and corruption in the banking sector in the previous years.

The HC bench of justice FRM Nazmul Ahsan and justice KM Kamrul Kader came up with the order and rule after primary hearing on a writ petition filed by lawyer Manzill Morshed on behalf of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) to stop irregularities and corruption in the banking sector.

Secretaries to the Prime Minister's Office, the cabinet, the finance ministry, Bangladesh Bank governor and chairmen and managing directors of all government and private banks have been made respondents to the rule.

Lawyer Manzill Morshed stood for the writ petitioner and deputy attorney general lawyer ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar for the state.

During the hearing, the court said a vulnerable situation has already been created in the government and private banking sector in Bangladesh. Necessary steps should be taken to stop all irregularities for reviving the economy and taking it to a strong position.

Earlier, on 23 January, a legal notice was served asking the authorities concerned to conduct an inquiry into irregularities in the banking sector of Bangladesh during the last 20 years.

Human rights body HRPB sent the notice asking the government to form a commission under section 3 of the Commission Inquiry Act 1956 for the purpose of making inquiry into the various misappropriation of banking money and irregularities in case of loan sanctioning occurred during the last 20 years in different private and public banks.

The notice was sent to Bangladesh Bank governor, secretaries to the cabinet, Prime Minister's Office, the finance division, the financial institutions division of the finance ministry, and the law ministry asking them to form the commission within a week.

As, there was no reply of the notice, the writ was filed with the court.