BFIU suspends 21,725 MFS accounts over online gambling, hundi

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Published: September 27, 2023, 05:18 PM

BFIU suspends 21,725 MFS accounts over online gambling, hundi

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Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has suspended 21,725 accounts belonging to different Mobile Financial Services (MFS) for their alleged involvement in online gambling and hundi.

Deputy Chief Officer AFM Shahinul Islam of BFIU briefed reporters about the decision on Wednesday.

Most of these accounts are from Bkash, Nagad, and Rocket and MFS operators have also been warned not to engage in such transactions future, he said.

BFIU collected information from 371 online gaming and betting transactions, 91 transactions related to online forex trading and 413 transactions related to cryptocurrency in nine months of this year. These data are being analyzed and sent to the law enforcement agencies.

Besides, BFIU has sent a list of 814 websites, 159 apps, and 442 social media pages and links related to illegal hundi, gaming and  betting  to law enforcement agencies for action and investigation.

The BFIU has sent details of 21 money changers and their 39 bank accounts to the Criminal Investigation Department of the police.

BFIU presented these facts in a meeting with anti-money laundering compliance officers of commercial banks held at Bangladesh Bank headquarters in Motijheel on Tuesday.

The head of BFIU Masud Biswas presided over the meeting, Deputy Chief Officer AFM Shahinul Islam, the Director of BFIU, chief of anti-money laundering enforcement officers of all commercial banks were present.

Head of BFIU,Masud Biswas said that criminals and money launderers should be aware that they cannot use the banking system to commit any crime.

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