Militant funding: 17 foreign NGOs under intel surveillance

By Asif Showkat Kallol in Dhaka Tribune, July 19, 2017
Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) and the government intelligence agencies will move to bring all financial transactions in the country under their strict surveillance to prevent militant fund transactions, said officials.
After finding unusual transactions, the overall activities of 17 foreign non-government development organisations have already been brought under intense surveillance.
According to a relevant taskforce meeting last month, the most of the terrorist financing has happened through mobile banking and courier services. The meeting asked for more surveillance on transactions and compulsory preservation of records of those transactions.
Intelligence agencies found 17 NGOs involved in militants funding, the meeting said, laying emphasis on more scrutiny of the transactions.
It said monitoring on online transactions, especially banking transactions with foreign countries, should be strengthened.
The meeting was chaired by Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, chief of the taskforce.
It was attended by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan. The home secretary, inspector general of police, RAB director general, BFIU general manager, Bangladesh Bank governor, director general of NGO Bureau, and Special Branch representatives, DGFI representatives, DMP commissioner and Islamic Foundation DG, among others, participated in the meeting.
The authorities have initiated strong monitoring and surveillance after militancy incidents since 2012.
After surveillance of last five years, the intelligence agencies have found more accurate information about the militancy transactions by the 17 NGOs.
Bangladesh Bank officials said most of these NGOs are under the control of Jamaat-e-Islami politics.
The NGOs are based in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and other Middle East countries.
Some domestic NGOs are also under surveillance now. Major NGOs of the list, which include Bangladesh Krishi Kalyan Samity, Muslim Aid Bangladesh, Rabeta Al-Alam al-Islami, Qatar Charitable Society, Islamic Relief Agency, Al-Furkan Foundation, Kuwait Joint Relief Committee, International Islamic Relief Organization (IRO), Hayatul Ighachha, Revival of Islamic Heritage Society, Tawhidi Noor and Al-Muntada al-Islami.
“A number of issues including militancy funding were discussed at the June 21 meeting which came up with some important decisions,” said BFIU General Manager Devprasad Debnath.
“Among the decisions, the issue of militant funding is very sensitive and important,” he added.
Devnath said the surveillance has been increased against the 17 NGOs as the authorities concerned have found the evidence of helping militancy and terrorist activities.
Major General (retd) Abdur Rashid, a security analyst, said people accused of aiding militancy are coming out of custody and jails due to lapses in laws.
He stressed the need of more surveillance on elements accused of militant funding so terrorism can be prevented more efficiently.
According to the Annual Report 2014 of BFIU, the number of suspicious transactions in different financial institutions including banks and insurance firms in Bangladesh is increasing alarmingly.
The normal process is not being followed in these transactions. In the financial year 2013-14, there were 619 such suspicious transactions in Bangladesh. The amount of the previous year was 420. In the fiscal year 2011-12, the number of suspicious transactions was 175.http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/crime/2017/07/19/militant-funding-17-foreign-ngos-intel-surveillance/