Tk 500cr laundered in the name of tuition fees: NBR boss

National Board of Revenue (NBR) Chairman Md Abdur Rahman has exposed a staggering case of money laundering: a parent allegedly funneled Tk 400–500 crore abroad under the pretext of paying tuition fees for their son studying overseas. 

The revelation came during a high-level meeting on money laundering prevention at the Chief Adviser’s Office in Tejgaon, Dhaka, on Monday (March 10).  

At a post-meeting briefing held at the Foreign Service Academy, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam disclosed details of the NBR Chairman’s statement. “A person sent Tk 400–500 crore abroad, claiming it was for his son’s tuition fees,” Shafiqul said. 

He emphasised that even at the world’s top-tier universities, annual tuition fees rarely exceed Tk 1 crore. “Sending such an astronomical sum raises serious red flags,” he added.  

The meeting, chaired by Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, was attended by senior government officials, including advisers, secretaries, Bangladesh Bank Governor, and the NBR Chairman. 

The discussion focused on curbing illicit financial flows, with Yunus stressing the need for stricter oversight.  

Shafiqul Alam highlighted that money laundering in Bangladesh typically occurs through banking channels, ‘hundi’ (informal remittance systems), trade misinvoicing, or other clandestine means. However, this case stands out due to the brazen scale of the alleged fraud. 

“Using education as a cover for laundering hundreds of crores is unprecedented,” Shafiqul noted.  

The Press Secretary also pointed out the incongruity of the amount: “Even elite universities like Harvard or Oxford do not charge Tk 500 crore for tuition. This is clearly a ploy to siphon funds abroad.”  

Deputy Press Secretaries Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Apurba Jahangir, and Assistant Press Secretary Suchismita Tithi were present at the briefing.