'Bangladesh Never Sought Any Info on Swiss Bank Accounts'

Swiss Ambassador to Bangladesh Nathalie Chuard said that Switzerland is not a paradise for keeping black money. The Bangladesh government has not asked the Swiss government for any specific information about the money put by Bangladeshis in the Swiss bank.

She said these things at the DCAB talk program at the National Press Club on Wednesday (August 10) in response to the question that money is being smuggled from Bangladesh and kept in Swiss banks and the Bangladesh government is not getting the information about this smuggled money from the Swiss government.

Note that the annual report of Swiss National Bank (SNB), the central bank of Switzerland, has revealed that Bangladeshis have deposited the highest amount of money in various Swiss banks in two decades. These funds have been deposited in various banks in Switzerland in the name of Bangladeshi individuals and organizations.

At the end of 2021, the amount of money deposited by Bangladeshis in various banks in Switzerland has reached 871.1 million Swiss francs. If we calculate the exchange rate of 95 taka per Swiss franc, the amount in local currency is about eight thousand 276 crore taka.

In 2020, the amount of Bangladeshi money in the bank there was 562.9 million Swiss francs or 5 thousand 348 million taka in Bangladeshi currency. As such, the amount of money deposited by Bangladeshis in Swiss Bank has increased by Tk 2,928 crore or 55 percent in one year.

The Swiss ambassador said that the trade between the two countries exceeded one billion dollars last year. The Swiss government has been supporting Bangladesh for 50 years. This cooperation will continue in the coming days. The Swiss government continues to work to promote green energy and technology. Switzerland has always stood by the Rohingya crisis. Switzerland has always sought the honorable and safe repatriation of Rohingyas.

She also said that many projects are being implemented in Bangladesh with the help of the Swiss government. The local government activities in this country are being supported by the Swiss government. The people of this country will benefit more if the local government system like Union Parishad, Municipality and Upazila Parishad can be strengthened.

Among others, DCAB President Rezaul Karim Lotus, General Secretary AKM Moin Uddin spoke on the occasion.