Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- Bangladesh Bank (BB) has able to recover around US$20 million out of $100 million taken away by cyber hackers from its foreign exchange reserve with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York recently, officials said.
Suspected Chinese-origin cybercriminals hacked in the forex reserves in the BB’s account with the US Federal Reserve Bank in New York on February 05.
“Around $20 million has been deposited by the central bank of Sri Lanka in our foreign exchange reserve account recently after hacking the fund from Federal Reserve Bank of New York,” a BB senior official told BBN in Dhaka.
He also said Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) is now working with its counterpart –the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) of the Philippines – actively to recover the rest of stolen fund.
“Both persons and institutions have already been identified. So that rest of the stolen money is expected to recover after complaining rules and regulations properly,” the central banker explained.
The BB official did not disclose any specification information in this regard as the issue is still under investigation.
The AMLC has already been able to receive account- freezing orders for respective bank accounts from their court after the filing of case in this connection, according to a press statement, issued by the central bank of Bangladesh on Monday.
Besides, a vastly experienced consultant of the World Bank and his forensic investigation team are now working with the central bank over this issue, it added.
Legal process of bringing back the stolen money will be started soon after completing investigation by the AMLC of the Philippines, the statement said.
And the BB will follow stolen asset-recovery process of the World Bank, if necessary.
The BFIU has already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the AMLC for sharing information on money laundering issue.
The central banker also said Bangladesh, as a member of Egmont Group, a forum of the financial intelligence units (FIUs) of different countries, is now empowered to exchange information on money laundering and terror financing among its member-countries.
The Group now has 151 members across the world to promote and enhance international cooperation in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing as well as to foster implementation of domestic programmes in this field.
BBN/SSR/AD