A total of $234 billion laundered abroad between 2009 and 2023, Tarique Rahman says citing interim govt data

The government is giving top priority to recovering assets laundered abroad, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said today, describing it as central to a broader strategy to combat corruption, money laundering and financial crimes.

“Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working closely with all the concerned ministries and agencies to conclude a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and exchange Mutual Legal Assistance Request (MLAR) processes to this end,” he said while taking part in his first question-answer session in parliament.

PM said the government’s election manifesto underscores the publication of a comprehensive white paper investigating money laundering and corruption during the Awami League regime.

Legal action would be taken against those identified as responsible, he said responding to a question from Cumilla-9 MP Abul Kalam.

Citing findings of the White Paper Preparation Committee formed by the interim government, the prime minister said, “Between 2009 and 2023, a total of $234 billion -- averaging $16 billion annually, or approximately Tk 1.8 lakh crore crore -- had been siphoned off.”

“Of the 10 countries initially identified as destinations for laundered money -- USA, UK, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Thailand, UAE, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong-China -- Malaysia, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to sign agreements. Negotiations with the remaining seven are ongoing,” he added.

An inter-agency task force, chaired by the governor of Bangladesh Bank, has been formed, and legal proceedings are underway in 11 prioritised cases identified by the body, the PM added.

The cases involve ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, S Alam Group, Beximco Group, Sikder Group, Bashundhara Group, NASA Group, Orion Group, Nabil Group, HBM Iqbal, and Summit Group, along with individuals and institutions linked to their interests.

Led by the Anti-Corruption Commission, investigations are being carried out with support from Bangladesh Police’s Criminal Investigation Department, the National Board of Revenue’s Central Intelligence Cell, and the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Department, PM Tarique said.

“Eleven Joint Investigation Teams have been formed. Following their formation, courts have attached and frozen movable and immovable assets worth Tk 57,168.9 crore within the country as of March 25, 2026,” he added.

He said additionally, assets worth Tk 13,278.13 crore abroad have been frozen by court order.

In total, assets worth Tk 70,446.22 crore at home and abroad have been attached and frozen, he said, adding a total of 141 cases have been filed to recover laundered money, with charge sheets submitted in 15 cases and verdicts delivered in six.

Responding to a supplementary question from MP Mujibur Rahman, the prime minister said authorities are preparing a list of individuals involved in money laundering.

“In the past, we have seen various individuals in government act according to their own wishes and interests, disregarding the country’s laws, rules and ethics -- detaining people as they pleased, forcing them to write whatever they wanted,” he said.

“The current government, however, is respectful of the law. It seeks to act in accordance with the prevailing laws of the country and to ensure justice on a legal basis, so that no person is deprived of rightful justice. For this reason, we will proceed strictly through legal processes,” he said.

“The law will advance at its own pace, and punishments will be determined according to the country’s existing laws for those who have misappropriated the nation’s wealth and laundered people’s money,” Tarique Rahman said.