Kuwait cabinet discusses visa trading issues

The Kuwait cabinet on Tuesday discussed issues of visa trading as Bangladesh MP Mohammad Shahid Islam disclosed to the investigators names of three Kuwaiti officials who received several million dinars in exchange of their support for operating a human trafficking network.

‘The names of those involved in the so-called residency trade are with the public prosecution,’ Kuwaiti deputy prime minister Anas Al-Saleh said during the council’s discussion on a letter of a local MP seeking a report on ‘residence dealers’ from the interior ministry, according to Arab Times of Kuwait.

Anas, also interior minister, said his ministry would not hide or cover up any name, whoever it is.  

Shahid Islam, who was arrested by Kuwaiti law enforcing agencies on June 7, reportedly acknowledged to the investigators that he provided 1.1 million dinars by cheque to a government employee and one million dinars in cash to a person in addition to bags of gifts in millions of dinars.

He claimed at least three people, including a person in charge of one of the ministries and a civil servant in the ministry of interior, received money from him. He presented to the public prosecution a copy of the cheque previously received by the employee who was completing the transactions for him. 

Shahid also claimed that he handed over an amount of one million Kuwaiti dinars in cash to a person, in exchange for bringing Bangladeshi workers to Kuwait.

The Kuwait public prosecution decided to continue the detention of the Bangladesh MP and another Bangladesh national for human trafficking and money laundering to complete the investigation after listening to the testimony of 12 expatriate workers brought by the accused from Bangladesh in exchange of money.

Kuwait Public Anti-Corruption Authority has started examining financial transactions made by Shahid Islam and his company in the country and reviewing all data pertaining to them, Mohamed Bouzobar, spokesperson of the authority said.

The Embassy of Bangladesh in Kuwait was, however, in the dark about the progress in the Shahid Islam’s case and the killing of an unidentified Bangladeshi national.

‘We have no clue as the Kuwait CID has been investigating things maintaining secrecy,’ Bangladesh ambassador in Kuwait Abul Kalam told New Age on Tuesday. 

Earlier, the Anti-Corruption Commission in Bangladesh initiated an inquiry on February 26 against Shahid Islam MP, also NRB Commercial Bank director, on charge of his alleged involvement in accumulation of illegal wealth through money laundering.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net