Govt takes tough steps to recover laundered money: PM tells parliament

Bangla Press Desk:The government has taken strict measures to recover laundered money siphoned off during the tenure of the previous facist regime, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman told parliament on Wednesday.

He said an estimated $234 billion was illicitly transferred abroad from Bangladesh between 2009 and 2023.

The premier disclosed the information in response to a written question from Cumilla-9 lawmaker Md Abul Kalam during a sitting of the Jatiya Sangsad, presided over by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.

Citing findings of a white paper committee formed by the interim government, he said the illicit financial outflow averaged about $16 billion annually during the period.

The prime minister said assets worth around Tk70,446 crore have so far been seized or frozen both at home and abroad as part of recovery efforts.

“As the laundered money has reportedly been transferred to multiple countries, efforts are underway to enhance information exchange, asset identification and mutual legal assistance with the concerned nations,” he said.

He said 10 countries — United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong — have been identified as destinations of the siphoned funds.

He added that agreements on mutual legal assistance have already been reached with Malaysia, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, while processes are underway with the remaining countries.

On steps taken against those involved, the prime minister said an inter-agency taskforce, headed by the governor of Bangladesh Bank, has been formed.

Legal procedures are currently underway in 11 priority cases to recover the laundered money, he said, adding that joint investigation teams have been formed under the leadership of the Anti-Corruption Commission with support from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the National Board of Revenue’s Central Intelligence Cell and the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate.