A law enforcer shows counterfeit bank notes that were recovered in city on Friday. Bangladesh Bank on Sunday asked commercial banks to take necessary measures against circulation of fake currencies ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. — New Age photo

Bangladesh Bank on Sunday asked commercial banks to take necessary measures against fake currencies so that the counterfeiters cannot operate ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.   
The BB issued a circular to managing directors and chief executive officers of all commercial banks asking them to guard against counterfeit notes as significant amount of money would be transacted ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Counterfeit notes enter the money market during the festival seasons, the circular warned.
For detecting the counterfeit notes, the BB asked the banks to increase use of fake note detection machines in all branches of the commercial banks.
The BB warning came following the arrest of six people and recovery of fake currency amounting to Tk 1 crore in separate drives by detectives in the capital between Thursday afternoon and early Friday.
Police recovered currency-making materials and equipment from the counterfeiters.
The counterfeiters collected Tk 100 notes, removed the prints with chemicals and then turned those into Tk 500 notes.
BB officials said fake notes of Tk 1,000 were also made in this process.
They said that risk of circulation of counterfeit notes by criminals would grow ahead of Eid as the central bank would pump Tk 11,000 crore in new notes into the money market to meet public demand, they said.
The BB also asked the banks to post skilled officials at the banks’ counters for detecting the fake notes.
Moreover, the commercial banks have been asked to organise training among their officials for detecting fake notes.