TERRORISM FINANCING COORDINATING OFFICER (TFCO) -

C O N F I D E N T I A L DHAKA 006756 SIPDIS SIPDIS NOFORN EB/ESC/TFS (SHELIA HINDS); S/CT (PATTY HILL); INL/C/CP (STEVEN PETERSON); AND IO/PSC (JOHN SANDAGE); SCA/RA (LINDA LEE) E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2016 TAGS: ETTC KTFN SUBJECT: TERRORISM FINANCING COORDINATING OFFICER (TFCO) - BANGLADESH REF: STATE 181096 Classified By: A/DCM Dundas McCullough; reason 1.4(d) (SBU) Name and contact information for Post's Terrorism Financing Coordinating Officer (TFCO) and Deputy TFCO requested reftel are as follows: TFCO David Renz Chief, Economic & Commercial Unit 8802 885-5500 x2532 (Office) 8802 882-4008 (Unclassified Fax) renzdw@state.sgov.gov Deputy TFCO Nancy Langston Resident Legal Advisor 8802 885-5500 x2516 (Office) 8802 882-4008 (Unclassified Fax) langstonnl@state.sgov.gov ¶2. (C) Bangladesh is not included in the CIA chart referenced at para 9(d) of reftel. Comparable information is set out below: -- National authority to freeze terrorist funds: Yes, de facto, Bangladesh Bank (the country's central bank). -- Signed/ratified UN Convention on Terrorism Financing: Yes. -- Implementation of UNSCRs 1267, 1373,1390 and 1455: Yes. -- Adopted anti-money laundering (AML) legislation: Yes. -- Established Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU): No. De facto unit operating, pending adoption of amendments to the AML expressly authorizing an FIU. -- Egmont member: No. Draft amendments to AML currently under review, if adopted, would create legal framework to enable Bangladesh to join Egmont. -- Member of FATF or FATF-style regional body: Yes. Asia Pacific Group. -- Issued a freeze order on terrorist-linked assets: Yes. -- Thorough search of financial institutions for terrorist assets: Regularly. -- Timely sharing of terror finance information: Banking in Bangladesh is characterized by an extensive branch banking network. While head offices and many branches in major cities are automated, record keeping in other branches is often manual. Notice of designations under UNSCRs is passed in a timely fashion from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Bangladesh Bank. Bank circulars requiring banks to search their records and report back to the central bank are also issued on a timely basis. Reports may take anywhere from several days to months to complete, however, due to lack of automation throughout the banking system. -- Outreach to US intelligence and law enforcement: The anti-money laundering unit at the Bangladesh Bank is responsive to requests for information but only occasionally proactive in sharing information it develops independently. This characterization also applies to the police and intelligence services. BUTENIS