Scope to whiten black money ‘encouragement to dishonesty’: Jamiruddin Sircar

Providing an opportunity to whiten black money means “encouraging dishonesty”, said Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) standing committee member Jamiruddin Sircar Friday.

“If the looted black money can be whitened with a 15 per cent tax, then there is no difference between us, who are working people, and them (the black money holders),” he said.

Jamiruddin Sircar was addressing a discussion organised at the National Press Club on Friday afternoon in memory of the late former Attorney General AJ Muhammad Ali.

Former speaker of Jatiya Sangsad (parliament) and senior lawyer of Supreme Court Jamiruddin Sircar said if black money can be whitened by paying tax, then dishonesty will be encouraged.

Drawing the government’s attention he said, “When considering this (whitening the undisclosed money) carefully look at the difference; one is earning money, another is easy getting money (illegal). Earning money should not be the same as easy getting money at any time... this is our request to the government.”

Finance minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali unveiled the proposed budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 in parliament Thursday.

The budget has proposed to allow the undisclosed money to be legalised with a tax of 15 per cent.

Jamiruddin Sircar paid tribute to late lawyer AJ Muhammad Ali by highlighting his career.

Lawyer Zainal Abedin, journalist leader Ruhul Amin Gazi, lawyer Kaiser Kamal, professor Lutfur Rahman, professor Shamsul Alam, journalist Syed Abdal Ahmed and Riaz Hossain Khandkar, son of late AJ Muhammad Ali, spoke at the meeting organised by the Sammilito Peshajibi Parishad, a body of professionals.

Supreme Court Bar Association president Mahbub Uddin Khokon, former general secretary Ruhul Quddus Kajal and other lawyers were present in this meeting that was moderated by parishad convener AZM Zahid Hossain and member secretary Quader Gani Chowdhury.

AJ Mohammad Ali died on 2 May while undergoing treatment at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore.