Dhaka: Law Minister Anisul Huq on Thursday said the Philippines government will provide their highest assistance to get back the rest of the money stolen from the Bangladesh Bank account with the US Federal Reserve Bank in February last.

“There’s no lack of interest of the Philippines government to take steps in returning the money,” said the minister while talking to reporters at the ministry.

The minister also said Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC) could not deny its guilt as it has already paid 11 million US dollar after the Philippines senate fined them 21 million US dollars. 

“We’ve already asked the Philippines authorities to restart hearings. After the disposal of the case, the Philippines government will return the money to Bangladesh,” said the minister responding to a questioner.

A four-member delegation, led by the minister, went to the Philippines on November 26 to discuss the legal details over the retrieval of the reserve with the Philippines government.

The other members of the delegation are Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance Ministry Abdur Razzaq, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Bangladesh Bank Governor Fazle Kabir. 

The minister held a meeting with the Finance Minister and Senate President of the Philippines and discussed the issue with them.

A total of $81 million was taken away by international cyber hackers from Bangladesh’s treasury account with the New York's US Federal Reserve Bank on February 5 this year.

The hackers used RCBC bank in the Philippines to receive the money. But later the Philippines authorities recovered a part of the money. On November 11, the Bangladesh Bank received $15.25 million from the Philippines' anti-money laundering council.