The High Court yesterday directed the government to submit a report before it within 15 days over the progress of its previous order that asked authorities concerned to prepare a list of loan defaulters and money launderers of the last 20 years.

It also wanted to know from the government over the progress of its earlier order that asked the government to form a powerful commission to identify irregularities and corruption in the banking sector in the previous years.

The HC bench comprising Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader came up with the order during the hearing on a writ petition filed by Advocate Manzill Murshied on behalf of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) seeking its order to stop irregularities and corruption in the banking sector.

The HC bench asked secretaries to Prime Minister’s Office, Cabinet, Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh Bank Governor and chairmen and Managing Directors of all government and private banks to submit the compliance report before it within 15 days.

Earlier on February 13, the same bench of the HC directed the government to prepare and submit list of loan defaulters and money launderers of last 20 years and form a high power commission to identify irregularities and corruption in the banking sector. But, the government has failed to comply with the HC order till yesterday.

While the petition came in the cause list for hearing as per its previous scheduled, the HC bench held hearing and came up with the order. Lawyer Manzill Murshed stood for the writ petitioner and deputy attorney general barrister ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar for the state.

During the hearing, the court said a vulnerable situation has already been created in the government and private banking sector in Bangladesh. Necessary steps should be taken to stop all irregularities for reviving the economy and taking it to a strong position.

Earlier, on January 23, a legal notice was served asking the authorities concerned to conduct an inquiry into irregularities in the banking sector of Bangladesh during the last 20 years.

Human rights body HRPB sent the notice asking the government to form a commission under section 3 of the Commission Inquiry Act 1956 for the purpose of making inquiry into the various misappropriation s of banking money and irregularities in case of loan sanctioning occurred during the last 20 years in different private and public banks.

The notice was sent to Bangladesh Bank governor, secretaries to the cabinet, Prime Minister’s Office, Finance Division, Financial Institutions Division of Ministry of Finance, and the Law Ministry asking them to form the commission within a week.

As, there was no reply of the notice, the writ was filed with the court and after hearing the HC bench came up with the orders.