News Flash
SANGSAD BHABAN, April 22, 2026 (BSS) - Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today said his government is giving maximum priority to recovering assets laundered abroad as a key part of its broader strategy to combat corruption, money laundering, and financial crimes.
He said 10 countries have been initially identified as destinations of illicit financial flows during the tenure of the previous “fascist” government, and the process of signing agreements with those countries is underway to recover the assets.
The premier disclosed this while responding to a question from treasury bench lawmaker from Munshiganj-3 constituency Md. Quamruzzaman in the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) here with Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikram, in the chair.
Tarique Rahman said according to the White Paper Committee formed by the interim government, an estimated US$234 billion was illicitly transferred out of Bangladesh between 2009 and 2023, averaging about US$16 billion per year (approximately Taka 1.8 lakh crore).
He said as the laundered money has allegedly been transferred to multiple countries, efforts are being strengthened to recover it through information exchange, asset identification, and enhanced mutual legal assistance with the concerned countries.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry is working closely with all ministries and agencies concerned to ink Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and facilitate the exchange of Mutual Legal Assistance Request (MLAR) in this regard, he said.
Of the 10 initially identified destination countries (United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong-China), three countries (Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates) have agreed to sign such agreements, while the process is ongoing with the remaining seven, said the Prime Minister.
The premier said an inter-agency taskforce led by the governor of Bangladesh Bank has already been formed.
To investigate into priority cases identified by this taskforce, 11 joint inquiry and investigation teams have been formed under the leadership of the Anti-Corruption Commission comprising Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police, the Central Intelligence Cell of the National Board of Revenue, and the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, he mentioned.
He also presented updates on the progress of these priority cases in Parliament.
The progress includes:
As per the court orders, movable and immovable assets worth Taka 57,168.09 crore have been attached and frozen within the country till March 25, 2026.
Additionally, under court orders, assets worth Taka 13, 278.13 crore have been attached and frozen abroad.
In total, assets worth approximately Taka 70,446.22 crore have been attached and frozen at home and abroad.
To recover laundered money, 141 cases have already been filed, of which charge sheets have been submitted in 15 cases and verdicts have been delivered in 6 cases.
Overall, the government is placing the highest priority on recovering laundered assets abroad as a crucial component of its broader anti-corruption and anti-money laundering strategy.
To further strengthen and expedite the recovery process, a Stolen Asset Recovery Division has been established under the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit on February 22, 2026.
He also noted that the government’s election manifesto emphasizes publishing a comprehensive white paper on money laundering and corruption taken place during the previous tenure of fascist Awami League and taking legal action against those identified as responsible.
