By Rejaul Karim Byron

Bangladesh is going to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Malaysia for the first time for exchange of information about money smuggled into that country.

Sources in Bangladesh Bank say the MoU would be signed between the financial intelligence units of the central banks of the two countries on August 12.

The MoU is focused on sharing information on money laundering. "It'll help investigation of cases in which some criminals have smuggled out huge money from Bangladesh into Malaysia," says a central bank source.

"The government will negotiate the issue of further cooperation in repatriation of the smuggled money later on," the source adds.

Many corruption suspects of Bangladesh invested huge money in Malaysia taking advantage of the Malaysian 'Second Home Project'.

The foreign ministry last year requested the Malaysian government to provide Bangladesh with a list of the people, who had availed the opportunity of the Second Home Project. But Malaysia did not respond to that.

"Once the MoU is signed, Malaysia will help Bangladesh if requested to provide information on a particular Bangladeshi who has utilised the Second Home Project," the source points out.

The 25 other countries with which the central bank is trying to pen similar agreements include India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Mauritius, Indonesia, Japan, Nepal, Maldives, Afghanistan, Burma, Viet Nam and Cambodia.

"But we have not initiated fruitful negotiations with some major countries, which have served as destination of money launderers and corrupt people," the source adds.

Countries like Canada, the UK, the US and Australia have asked Bangladesh to become a member of Egmond Group--a worldwide association of agencies operating against money laundering.

Sources say upon becoming a member of this group, these countries will cooperate with Bangladesh.

"Bangladesh has applied to become a member of the Egmond Group. As a follow-up, a six-member delegation is expected in the country on August 17 to see if our country qualifies to become its member," says an official.

Some political bigwigs of BNP are accused of smuggling out hundreds of millions of dollars to Malaysia and some other destinations.

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