BNP wants BB staff concerned to be brought under probe

Castigating the government for the hacking of millions of dollars from Bangladesh Bank's foreign currency account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, BNP leaders yesterday alleged that it happened as the government had no accountability to the people.

"Money is being looted from banks in the country. Our share market is being plundered. Surprisingly, the country's money kept abroad is being stolen too. It's a matter of grave concern," said BNP leader Nazrul Islam Khan.

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Nazrul, BNP standing committee member, came up with these remarks while addressing a discussion organised by Dhaka City unit of Labour Party, a component of BNP-led alliance, at Photojournalists' Association in the capital, protesting the sedition case filed against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.

According to media reports, around 101 million dollars of BB have recently been stolen from the Federal Reserve Bank.

Meanwhile, BNP Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed said it was not possible to conduct hacking of this sort without an involvement of the government's officials.

"BB has already admitted that certain influential quarters within the government were involved in this stealing," Rizvi told a press briefing at the party's Nayapaltan headquarters.

Those BB officials who went on official visits to Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and the UAE in the last three years should be brought under a probe, he added.

He blamed the finance minister and the BB governor for the hacking, and demanded an exemplary punishment for the culprits involved.