Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali on Thursday said money laundering is increasing due to online gambling, gaming and hundi.
The minister said this in response to a question of Awami League MP M Abdul Latif from Chattogram-11.
The finance minister in a written answer said that the level of transactions through Mobile Financial Services (MSS) and digital payments has increased to a large extent due to the wide spread of financial inclusion in the country.
“Taking advantage of this development in technology, some unscrupulous circles have become involved in criminal activities such as online gambling/betting, gaming, forex/cryptocurrency trading and hundi,” he said.
As a result, he said that money is being smuggled out of the country and a lot of foreign currency is being lost.
“Therefore, the economy is suffering," he said.
Mentioning that the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) and other related law enforcement agencies are working together to prevent money laundering through online gambling/betting and hundi, the minister said BFIU has so far suspended 48,586 personal MFS accounts for suspected involvement in online gambling/betting and hundi.
The minister added information of 5766 agents were sent to Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for taking punitive actions. Of them, 5029 MFS agentship were scrapped for their alleged involvement in hundi transactions.
Besides, the minister also said that transactions of 10,666 MFS agent account have been blocked as per the instruction of BFIU for their suspected involvement in illegal hundi, gaming, betting and cryptocurrency.
He said, a total of 1096 websites, 182 apps and 1002 social media pages/links (Facebook, YouTube and Instagram) related to illegal hundi gaming, betting, cryptocurrency have been identified and provided to BTRC and concerned law enforcement agencies for necessary action.
Intelligence report containing information of 6 MFS distributors suspected to be involved in hundi process has been sent to CID. Out of these activities of two distributors have been closed down.
Study Papers on Online Gambling, Betting, Gambling, Forex and Cryptocurrency Trading has been prepared and delivered to various stakeholders.
He said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been requested to take necessary measures by the Bangladesh Embassies in the concerned countries to prevent hundi by illegally using the logos of various MFS organisations abroad.