DHAKA: The High Court has issued a rule upon Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman to explain ‘what steps have been taken about the tax evasion by foreign shipping companies and money laundering after investigations’.

An HC bench comprising Justice Mirza Hossain Haider and Justice M Khurshid Alam issued the rule on Tuesday.

BB Governor Dr Atiur Rahman and the Executive Director to Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) were made respondents to the ruling and asked to explain within four weeks.

The court also wanted to know the position of a few foreign companies and their agents.

The companies are Orient Overseas Container Line of Hong Kong and their local agent Continental Traders Ltd, Hapag-Lloydfo Germany and its local agent GBX Logistics Ltd, Aitken Spence shipping of Sri Lanka, Dubai-based Etihad Airways’s branch Etihad Crystal Cargo and their local agent GSA Cargo Ltd and Sri Lankan agent Speed Air Cargo Net and Allport Cargo Services UK.

Supreme Court lawyer M Quamrul Haque Siddiqui filed a writ petition as public interest litigation annexing reports published on eight newspapers and online news portals.

Reports on Newspapers and Online News Portals said these companies are siphoning off thousands of crores taka from the country.

There is a prohibitory order on hundred percent investments in shipping agency, travel agency and some other service sectors of the country though all other sectors are totally open to any amount of direct foreign investment.

The High Court directed to keep the foreign investment in these sectors to 49 percent and 51 percent local investment.

BDST: 2105 HRS, JUL 08, 2014