Pandora Papers names submitted to High Court: Finance minister

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has submitted a list of names of all the businessmen of Bangladesh, who have been enlisted by the Pandora Papers to the Bangladesh High Court Division, according to Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal.

The minister was responding to a reporter after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Virtual Economic Affairs and the Cabinet Committee on Public Procurement chaired by him on Wednesday.

Asked if he was surprised to see some businessmen’s names in the Pandora Papers, he said the matter was now being looked after by the High Court.

“The (money laundering) case is ongoing. I don’t think it would be rational to comment on this at this time. Since the matter has gone under a lawsuit and it is underway, it is better not to offer any opinion on this,” said the minister.

While responding to a question about a fresh name appearing in the newspaper on Wednesday, he said, “If the ACC thinks that these issues need to go to the High Court, they are doing it to start a trial.” I don’t think it will work for them if I give an opinion. So, I will not make any comment.”

Kamal said: “We can give you updates. However, it can be given in a short form. There is no provision for detailed update until the case is resolved.”

Primarily, a list incorporating 43 individuals and organisations has been forwarded to the High Court. What comes next will be sent to the apex court in phases, he told journalists.

“I believe we will get justice. We will abide by the decision of the (apex) court.”

Lauding Bangladesh’s economic and social accomplishments in the last 50 years the finance minister referred to other developed nations “who have portrayed our country in different ways. The first 38 years after our independence, GDP was over $ 100 billion. Today, that has increased by four folds to $ 411 billion.”

He said Bangladesh has done a tremendous job in all areas of the macro-economy and in the social spheres.

Along with the economy, the indexes of social economy are also very good. “By 2035, we will be 25th in the world economy and our dream is to become one of the top 20 countries in the world by 2041, will be accomplished,” said he citing the latest report of the Central Economic Business Research, UK.

A day ago, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists or ICIJ released another trove of leaked data in its Pandora Papers investigation where eight people used Bangladesh as their address to open companies in the British Virgin Islands, known as a tax haven.

They are Nihad Kabir, Mohammad Bhai, Islam Manzurul, Sayedul Huda Chowdhury, Anita Rani Bhowmik, Sakina Miraly, Walter Pollak and Daniel Ernesto Lubatti.

They are among 740,000 people named in the data released on Monday night.

Nihad Kabir’s address is Indira Road in Dhaka. Nihad registered a company named Capital Fair Holding Ltd in the British Virgin Islands, documents show.