United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday told Parliament that the current government will take effective steps to recover money siphoned off from Bangladesh and spend the recovered funds for the welfare of the people and the country. “You can be assured that this government will take the way and the step whichever is effective to bring back the public money, Inshallah,” he said, while replying to a supplementary question from treasury bench lawmaker Md Abul Kalam (Cumilla-9) during the question-and-answer session. The prime minister said the laundered money is the assets of the people. This government, elected by the people, has a responsibility towards them and the country, he said. “So, it is only natural that recovering the people’s money and spending it for the people and the country is one of the major responsibilities of this government,” he added. Replying to a starred question from the same lawmaker, Tarique Rahman said since assuming office the government has been trying to use the taxpayers’ money the best way in the interest of the people and the country by choking the throat of corruption and plugging leakages in various sectors. He said the current government is working giving the highest priority to recovering money siphoned abroad as US$ 234 billion money was laundered from Bangladesh between 2009 and 2023, as per a white paper prepared during the interim government. “The present government is working, giving the highest priority to the recovery of assets siphoned abroad as an important part of a broader strategy to combat corruption, money laundering and financial crimes,” he said. The Prime Minister said the amount of illicit capital outflow from Bangladesh is US$234 billion between 2009 and 2023, which averages about US$16 billion per year, according to the data of the white paper preparation committee formed by the interim government. Since the laundered money was allegedly transferred to multiple countries, it has been strengthening cooperation with the concerned countries through information exchange, asset identification and mutual legal assistance, he said. 23,865 politically motivated cases withdrawn: Law Minister To this end, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working closely with all relevant ministries and agencies to sign Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLAT) and facilitate the exchange process of Mutual Legal Assistance Requests (MLAR), he added. The prime minister said ten countries—the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong (China)—have been initially identified as possible destinations of the laundered money. Among them, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates have already agreed to sign agreements, while the process is underway with the remaining seven countries, he said. Tarique Rahman said an inter-agency task force has been formed under the chairmanship of the Governor of Bangladesh Bank. Legal procedures are currently underway to recover laundered He added that 11 Joint Investigation Teams (JITs) have been formed to investigate these priority cases under the leadership of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The teams were formed with representatives from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police, the Central Intelligence Cell of the National Board of Revenue and the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate. Highlighting progress since the formation of the JITs, the prime minister said courts have so far ordered the attachment and freezing of movable and immovable assets worth Tk 57,168.09 crore within the country as of March 25, 2026. In addition, assets worth Tk 13,278.13 crore traced abroad have also been attached and frozen following court directives, he said. “Altogether, movable and immovable assets worth approximately Tk 70,446.22 crore at home and abroad have been attached and frozen by the courts,” the prime minister said. He further said 141 cases have already been filed to recover the laundered money, of which 15 cases have seen charge sheets submitted and six cases have already received court verdicts. The prime minister mentioned that the government’s election manifesto emphasized publishing a comprehensive white paper after investigation in money laundering and corruption committed during the previous fascist Awami League regime as well as taking legal action against those identified as responsible. Replying to a supplementary question from opposition Jamaat lawmaker Md. Mujibur Rahman (Rajshahi-1), the PM said the government will take all steps as per laws against those who looted the public money. Replying to a supplementary question from opposition Jamaat lawmaker Md Mujibur Rahman (Rajshahi-1), the prime minister said the government will take all steps in accordance with the law against those who looted public money. Noting that the law will take its own course, he said, “Those who looted or siphoned off the people’s money will face punishment as per the existing laws of the country,” he said.