Govt to bring back laundered money by any means: Shafiqul

Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the chief adviser of the interim government, said that recovering laundered money is one of the government's top priorities and the government will do it by any means. 

"The money that has been laundered belongs to the hard-working people of Bangladesh. The individuals from Sheikh Hasina’s regime have stolen their money. We will bring that money back by any means necessary," he asserted.

Shafiqul made these remarks during a press briefing organised by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing at the Foreign Service Academy on Bailey Road in the capital on January 26 (Sunday), when asked about the process of recovering laundered money from abroad.

He explained that the process of retrieving laundered money is a slow one globally, but the interim government has taken all necessary steps to address the issue. "A task force has been formed by the central bank, and an asset recovery committee has been set up. Eleven teams from the BFIU are working on this matter," he said.

The government is also in talks with some of the world's largest consultancy firms, including KPMG, seeking expert advice on the matter. 

Shafiqul emphasised that global support is crucial for recovering laundered money. He added, "Some of the money has been sent to developed countries. We need to understand where it went, under what names it was sent, whether assets were purchased with that money, and, if so, what assets were acquired."

‘Investment climate rebounds in Bangladesh’ 

Regarding the country’s investment climate, Shafiqul said, "The investment climate has returned to Bangladesh, with numerous foreign investors now showing interest in the country."

When asked about the recent demand for early elections from a business organisation on January 25, Shafiqul responded, "Their biggest concern should be whether we are able to provide them with the right investment climate."