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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 DHAKA 000858 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/INSB 
WHITE HOUSE FOR USTR VKADER 
COMMERCE FOR SLEWIS-KHANNA, DFONOVICH 
NEW DELHI FOR FAS 
DOJ FOR OPDAT, LSAMUEL 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2019 
TAGS: ECON EFIN ETRD PGOV EAGR PTER KTFN KCRM EAID
BG 
SUBJECT: BANGLADESH'S FINANCE MINISTRY PARTIALLY ADDRESSES 
AMNESTY CONCERNS 
 
REF: DHAKA 686 - GOB BUDGET 
 
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons: 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (C) Bangladesh's Finance Minister maintains the 
government's revised tax amnesty does not violate 
international standards or domestic laws against 
money-laundering and anti-terrorism finance.  In a recent 
letter to the Ambassador and other diplomatic Heads of 
Mission in Dhaka, Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhit 
responded to concerns that the tax amnesty approved June 30 
by Parliament as part of its budget package permitted 
Bangladeshis to legitimize previously undisclosed income, 
regardless of the source.  Though the Government of 
Bangladesh (GOB) amended slightly the tax amnesty language 
and Bangladesh Bank, the central bank, promised to issue 
instructions to financial institutions regarding the 
disclosure of sources of funds, the tax amnesty does not 
rigorously close corruption loopholes and could permit the 
laundering of the proceeds of crimes and facilitate the 
funding of terrorist acts.  End Summary. 
 
GOB Seeks to Placate Diplomats 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Ambassador and seven other Heads of Mission in 
a June 23 letter raised concerns about a proposed tax amnesty 
that would permit individual and corporate taxpayers in 
Bangladesh to "whiten" so-called "black money" regardless of 
the source of funds.  In the letter and in discussions with 
GOB officials, diplomats noted that the proposed legislation 
contravened both international standards laid down to prevent 
financial crimes and Bangladesh's own laws on 
money-laundering and terrorism finance (reftel).  The GOB's 
money-whitening legislation, which allegedly aimed to 
encourage investment and economic growth, was broadly 
condemned by many in Bangladesh as simply an opportunity for 
politicians to legitimize the proceeds of corruption. 
 
GOB Offers One-Year Tax Amnesty 
------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Bangladesh's Finance Minister responded to the 
diplomats' concerns in a July 28 letter, noting the revised 
legislation - which passed June 30 as part of the GOB's 
budget package - had "adequate provisions" that balanced 
declaration of undisclosed income with combating money 
laundering and terrorism financing.  He explained the amnesty 
was conditional, restricted to one year, and did not 
compromise Bangladesh's anti-money-laundering and 
anti-terrorism laws.  (Note: The full text of the Finance 
Minister's letter is repeated in paragraph 6.  End note.) 
 
Will Bangladesh Bank Help or Not? 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (C) In Mission Dhaka's view, the revised tax amnesty 
legislation no longer explicitly overrides domestic laws on 
money-laundering and terrorism finance; however, it still 
provides some cover to those who would wish to hide the 
sources of their income.  At a July meeting of the Asia 
Pacific Group (APG), an international body affiliated with 
the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that seeks to 
implement international standards to prevent financial 
crimes, Bangladesh Bank pledged that the bank would issue 
rules to ensure that financial institutions continued to: 
 
-- implement laws that combat money-laundering and terrorism 
finance; 
-- exercise due diligence over customers and transactions; 
and, 
-- verify sources of income. 
 
Since the APG meeting, however, Bangladesh Bank has denied it 
 
DHAKA 00000858  002 OF 003 
 
 
committed to issuing such regulations.  Bank officials said, 
rather, they would verbally instruct financial institutions 
to continue these practices. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5.  (C) Despite the fact that many GOB officials opposed the 
tax amnesty, the GOB is moving forward with the 
"money-whitening" program.  The vague wording of the revised 
legislation and Bangladesh Bank's apparent backtracking on 
clarifying rules mean the tax amnesty could be a loophole for 
corruption, criminality and terrorist financing.  Mission 
Dhaka will continue to press the GOB to apply its laws 
against financial crimes and improve its adherence to 
international financial standards; we will also monitor 
closely the implementation of the tax amnesty program.  We 
will also reiterate to the GOB that, if necessary, the APG 
and FATF could recommend member nations, including the United 
States, sanction Bangladesh. 
 
Full Text of the Finance Minister's July 28 Letter 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Begin text: 
 
Excellencies, 
 
Please refer to your letter of June 23, 2009 with regard to 
the tax amnesty clauses of the draft amendments to the Income 
Tax Ordinance of 1984, as proposed in the budget speech.  I 
had assured you that a satisfactory resolution of your 
concern would be made.  In fact, long before I received your 
letter, the anomaly had drawn our attention and we were 
thinking of ways to take care of it. 
 
I appreciate your concern on the issue and thank you for 
highlighting the implications of the enactment leading to 
possible violation of international financial crime 
standards.  I believe that while finalizing the budget 
proposals, we made adequate provisions to find a balance 
between declarations of undisclosed income and pursuit of 
crimes involving money laundering and financing of terrorism. 
 
The present Government was swept into power on the promises 
of lifting the poor out of the clutches of poverty by putting 
the country on a higher trajectory of growth.  You will 
appreciate that one of the fundamental imperatives of a 
resource-poor country like Bangladesh is to secure maximum 
growth, which can only be ensured by higher investment of 
domestic as well as foreign resources. 
 
The amendments were aimed at pooling in resources, which 
remained outside the formal sector of the economy.  The 
Government, however, took into cognizance concerns as that of 
yours and those of many quarters from within the country like 
business, civil society, intelligentsia, and others. 
Elaborate discussions in the Parliament and in civil society 
led us to modify the original proposals.  The scheme now 
provides for conditional amnesty granted under Income Tax 
Ordinance of 1984 only and restricted to one year.  This is 
in alignment with the practice followed earlier to promote 
investment, employment generation, economic growth, and 
poverty reduction.  I may add further that this opportunity 
was also given to investors when Money Laundering Prevention 
and Anti-Terrorism Legislations were in force as ordinances 
without compromising the provision of these laws. 
 
In order to strengthen the drive against money laundering and 
clandestine financing of terrorism and other illegal 
activities and at the same time recovering resources smuggled 
out of the country, special steps are being taken in several 
fronts.  He investigative work of Bangladesh Bank and the 
National Board of Revenue is being streamlined and 
intensified.  A separate government unit for taking care of 
legal as well as international aspects of the drive is under 
process. 
 
DHAKA 00000858  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
I thought of discussing the issue with you after the passing 
of the budget but as it was getting late in setting up this 
meeting I thought that I should provide you with a statement 
on the subject.  You can be rest assured that the government 
is committed to zero tolerance for corruption.  And 
controlling and eliminating terrorism is a matter of the 
highest concern to us. 
 
With my warmest regards and highest compliments. 
 
End text. 
 
MORIARTY