ICCB President Mahbubur Rahman (2nd from left) is seen inaugurating the ICC Workshop on International Trade Fraud : Prevention, Control & Remedies in Dhaka on February 11, 2013. Mr. P. Mukundan (extreme left), Director and Chief of ICC- Commercial Crime Services, UK, Mamun Rashid (2nd from right), Chairman of ICCB Standing Committee on Banking Technique & Practices and Ataur Rahman (extreme right) Secretary General, ICCB are also seen in the picture.

ICCB President Mahbubur Rahman expresses his hope that Central Bank and commercial banks could develop appropriate mechanism for detecting and preventing future fraud. The recent scam in some of our state-owned banks have shaken the private commercial banks and have created a threat for the genuine companies to have financing from the banks for their operation. Besides, the commercial banks are also taking extra precautionary measures in opening of LCs, may be due to which we observe lesser import in the recent past. The recent scam is nothing but a straight cheating by some so-called companies in connivance with a group bank officials and influential group, said ICCB President Mahbubur Rahman at the ICCB Workshop on International Trade Fraud : Prevention, Control & Remedies.

Bangladesh has been growing fast in the international trade. Both import and export are increasing at substantial rate. Bangladesh is now considered to be an emerging trading nation with a trade volume of USD 60 billion or so. As the international trade is growing all parties involved in the trade is also getting exposed to the risk of fraud. The more the market of import-export is expanding the more we are facing the risk of unknown events including fraud, ICCB President added.

Mr. Rahman also mentioned that today’s workshop is of utmost importance in the back drop of series of scam in the banking sector in view of the Hall-Mark episode involving some Tk.2,600 crore plus or so. He further added another workshop on the same topic will be held in Chittagong on February, 12 and an Interactive Session on International Trade Fraud: Detection & Prevention will be held on February 13.

Mr. Mamun Rashid, Chairman of ICCB Standing Committee on Banking Technique & Practices and Mr. P. Mukundan, Director and Chief of ICC- Commercial Crime Services who conducted the workshop and ICCB Secretary General Ataur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.

A total of 88 participants from banks, financial institutions and export oriented industries attended the workshop and around 50 participants are expected to attend Chittagong Workshop.