It's a kind of highway robbery: Shafiqul

Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser, labeled the laundering of $234 billion out of Bangladesh during former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s tenure (2009 to August 5, 2024) as “a kind of highway robbery.” 

Speaking at a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy on Bailey Road, Dhaka, on Monday, March 10, he revealed that $17 billion of this amount was siphoned through banking channels.  

Shafiqul emphasised the interim government’s resolve to recover these funds. “The Chief Adviser has made it clear from the start that retrieving laundered money is our top priority. This is the people’s money, and we’ll bring it back by any means,” he said. 

An 11-member task force, led by Central Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur and formed on September 29, 2024, is spearheading the effort.  

A high-level meeting chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Monday reviewed the task force’s progress. 

Lasting 90 minutes, it included Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed, Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul, Mansur, Special Envoy Lutfe Siddiqui, and senior officials from the BFIU, Home, Finance, and SEC. 

The meeting resolved to draft a special law within a week to streamline recovery efforts—a demand from international partners assisting the government.  

“This law will accelerate our work with law firms and organizations globally,” Shafiqul said, noting discussions with 200 firms and plans to engage 30 renowned ones. 

He quoted Yunus urging maximum effort: “This is Bangladesh’s money—it must return swiftly.” 

Monthly high-level reviews are planned, with the next scheduled post-Eid, to track progress and probe the money’s destinations and methods.