Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman informed the Jatiya Sangsad yesterday (April 1) that the government has prioritized the recovery of laundered assets as part of a broader strategy to combat corruption and financial crimes.
He noted that the administration has already initiated foundational work to fulfill its electoral commitments, asserting that the people remain the ultimate source of all political power.
Responding to a supplementary query from Cumilla-9 treasury bench MP Md Abul Kalam, the Prime Minister highlighted his government’s ethical duty to recover misappropriated national assets.
“The siphoned funds are the money of the people. As we are the elected government by the people, we have a responsibility towards the country and its people. So, it’s a major responsibility of this government to bring the laundered money back and spend it for the welfare of the country and its people,” he stated.
Citing findings from the White Paper Preparation Committee, the PM revealed the scale of financial depletion under the previous regime. He informed the House that between 2009 and 2023, a total of $234 billion (approximately Tk 27.5 lakh crore), averaging $16 billion (Tk 1.8 lakh crore) annually, had been siphoned off. To counter this, he noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working to conclude Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLAT), with Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the UAE already agreeing to sign, as negotiations continue with seven other nations, including the USA and UK.
The PM detailed the progress of an inter-agency task force that has prioritized 11 major cases involving ousted PM Sheikh Hasina, former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, and prominent conglomerates such as S. Alam Group, Beximco, and Bashundhara Group.
“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 ($4.86 billion) within the country as of March 25, 2026,” he said, adding that assets worth Tk 13,278.13 crore ($1.13 billion) had frozen abroad, totaling Tk 70,446.22 crore ($5.99 billion).
Responding to Rajshahi-1 opposition lawmaker Md Mujibur Rahman regarding the identification of offenders, Tarique Rahman criticized the ‘arbitrariness’ of the past. “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 remarked.
He reaffirmed that his government remains respectful of the legal structure, stating, “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.”
The premier maintained that the judicial process would remain independent and rigorous. “For this reason, we will proceed strictly through legal processes. 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,” he told the House.
Finally, replying to ABM Mosharrof Hossain of Patuakhali-4, the Leader of the House underscored the importance of fulfilling public mandates. BNP believes that the people of this country are the source of all political power. The present government has already started the preliminary work to implement the promises made to them,” he said.
He wrapped up by highlighting that the widespread public backing for schemes such as the ‘Family Card’ and ‘Farmer Card’ is a testament to the people’s confidence, vowing that the administration will work tirelessly to uphold this mandate.
