Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has stated that recovering funds laundered abroad during the tenure of the previous government is the current government’s highest priority.
He made this remark on Wednesday afternoon in response to a question from Abul Kalam, Member of Parliament for Cumilla-9 (Laksham-Monohargonj) constituency, during a session of the Jatiya Sangsad.
The Prime Minister said that the government inherited a fragile economy upon taking office. Despite this, efforts are underway to curb corruption and stop irregularities in various sectors to ensure proper utilization of public tax money.
He informed that, according to data from the Interim Government’s White Paper Formulation Committee, a total of USD 234 billion was illegally laundered from Bangladesh between 2009 and 2023. On average, approximately USD 16 billion was laundered annually, which is equivalent to about BDT 1.8 lakh crore.
The Prime Minister stated that as the laundered funds have been transferred to various countries, international cooperation is being strengthened for their recovery. To this end, information exchange, asset identification, and mutual legal assistance are being enhanced with the relevant countries. All concerned agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are working collaboratively in this process.
He mentioned that information regarding money laundering has initially been found in 10 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. Consent has already been received for signing agreements with Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates, while the process for agreements with the remaining countries is ongoing.
The Prime Minister informed that an inter-agency task force has been formed to recover the laundered funds. This task force, led by the Governor of Bangladesh Bank, has already initiated legal proceedings in 11 priority cases.
Additionally, 11 joint search and investigation teams have been formed with the coordination of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Bangladesh Police CID, and relevant units of the National Board of Revenue, which are working to trace and recover the laundered money.
The government hopes that through concerted efforts and international cooperation, the laundered funds will gradually be repatriated to the country.