Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, an advisor to the interim administration on the Ministries of Finance and Commerce, declared today unequivocally that the government would not permit anyone to produce black money going forward.
“Our decision is clear, there will be no scope to generate black money anymore,” he said.
After holding a view-exchange meeting with the UN Representatives in Bangladesh at the Economic Relations Division conference room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, the advisor made this statement in response to a query.
According to the former governor of Bangladesh Bank, black money would be produced if there was any potential.
Speaking about money laundering, the Finance Advisor announced that money laundering overseas would also be discontinued. “We are taking moves to bring back the siphoned of money,” he stated.
Dr. Salehuddin stated that the Bangladesh Bank is addressing this matter. “If there is any need of legal assistance the government is there to provide,” he stated.
When asked if the budgetary provision might be changed in this regard, he responded that it was not the right moment to discuss it and that the budgetary issues will be looked at at a later date.
In response to a follow-up inquiry regarding the potential for requesting further assistance from the IMF, Dr. Salehuddin stated that he, the relevant secretaries, and the governor of the central bank will be attending the October IMF and World Bank Group Annual Meetings, when the matter may be discussed.
He stated that the government would prioritize its needs before accepting loans, pointing out that a project that should have lasted a year could not be needlessly prolonged to a five-year duration because doing so would burden the country with debt.
“We’re seeking support not for wasting or misusing those,” he added.
The Advisor turned to the continuous efforts by different groups to emphasize their different needs to reduce discrimination and remarked, “We can’t ignore such discriminations.” Since they were suppressed for so long, their suffering remained unresolved. We didn’t stop them because no one paid attention to them.
None could go to them if the previous government remained in power,” he continued, adding that he had used the metro train today to hold the meeting because of the present movements around the secretariat.
The advisor stated that while some issues cannot be resolved right away due to associated processes and ramifications, the government will make an effort to address such.
Asked about the meeting outcomes with the UN representatives, he said that the government highlighted its goal for attaining equal-based development, pursuing growth, ensuring development in the women, gender, health and education sectors.
“On the whole, our priorities are aligned with their programmes …we want the UN agencies to support us in our priority areas. It’s not like that we’ll accept support in all projects whatever they suggest,” he added.
The Adviser said the government wants equal-based sustainable development for the general people where the concerned UN agencies would support the government.
He informed that the government also sought special focus of the UN agencies especially from UNHCR on the forcibly displaced Rohingyas.
Dr Salehuddin said the UN Agencies have also given some ideas related to various ministries and divisions while those would be shared to the concerned ministries and divisions later.
The meeting was also discussed about the post-flood rehabilitation operations.
ERD Secretary Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky and country director of ILO and Ad interim UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Tuomo Poutiainen spoke, among others, at the meeting.
