B Mirror Report: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today told the Jatiya Sangsad that an estimated US$234 billion was illicitly siphoned out of Bangladesh during the tenure of the previous government.
Speaking in response to a starred question from Cumilla-9 lawmaker Md Abul Kalam, the Prime Minister said the figure, calculated by the White Paper Preparation Committee set up by the interim government, represents an average of US$16 billion per year (approximately Taka 1.8 lakh crore) between 2009 and 2023.
He added that as the laundered funds have been transferred to multiple countries, steps are underway to strengthen information exchange, asset identification, and mutual legal assistance to recover the money.
Tarique Rahman, also chairman of the ruling BNP, identified ten countries as key destinations of the laundered funds: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong-China. Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) have already been signed with Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the UAE, while agreements with the remaining seven countries are in progress.
An inter-agency task force led by the Governor of Bangladesh Bank has been formed to take action against those involved, and 11 joint investigation teams (JITs) under the Anti-Corruption Commission, in coordination with the CID, NBR, and Customs Intelligence, are conducting inquiries.
On assets, the Prime Minister reported that courts have ordered the attachment and freezing of domestic assets worth Taka 57,168 crore, while assets abroad totaling Taka 13,278 crore have also been frozen, bringing the combined total to approximately Taka 70,446 crore.
He further noted that 141 cases have been filed to recover laundered money, with charge sheets submitted in 15 cases and verdicts delivered in six.
The Prime Minister emphasized that recovering laundered funds abroad is a top priority for his government as part of a broader strategy to combat corruption, money laundering, and financial crimes. He reiterated that the publication of a comprehensive white paper and legal action against offenders were key points in the government’s election manifesto.
