Bangladesh minister says wants to 'wipe out' Manila bank for heist role

FILE PHOTO: Commuters pass by the front of the Bangladesh central bank building in Dhaka, Bangladesh on March 8, 2016. REUTERS/Ashikur Rahman/File Photo

DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh's finance minister said late on Saturday he wanted to "wipe out" a Philippines bank that was used to channel $81 million stolen from the Bangladeshi central bank's account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York last year.

Abul Maal A. Muhith was responding to questions from reporters about a Reuters story on Friday that said Bangladesh Bank had asked the New York Fed to join a lawsuit it was considering filing against Manila-based Rizal Commercial Banking Corp (RCBC) seeking damages.