Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed has expressed optimism that a portion of the money laundered abroad could be returned by next February.
He stated, “The perpetrators know all the tactics. However, it will take us time to bring the laundered money back. We have made some progress, and discussions are ongoing with various legal institutions.
“Some money could be returned by February, and we are preparing to bring back the remaining funds.”
Salehuddin made the remark on Tuesday after an advisory council committee meeting on government purchase at the Secretariat. However, he did not provide details on the exact amount of money expected to be returned.
In response to questions from reporters, he added, “No government can bypass the formalities of retrieving funds. For example, if I go to a Swiss bank and ask for the money, they will not give it. We must follow the legal process.”
The finance adviser further explained, “We are giving high priority to 11-12 cases, and investigations are also underway for cases involving amounts greater than Tk 200 crore.”
When asked if the new government would continue the initiative, Salehuddin said, “They will be compelled to continue because the process we have initiated is the only way to bring the money back.
“If they remain passive, the money will not come back. If the funds are to be recovered, the processes must be followed. This is international practice.”
The finance adviser also mentioned that some assets have already been seized and that they have information on where the money, accounts, and passports are located. “Now, it will just take some time to complete the remaining work,” he said.
Regarding allegations that some advisers have allocated more funds for their own areas, he clarified, “No, the projects were prepared long ago.”
According to a report by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), three out of ten families in the country are suffering from malnutrition or food insecurity. In response, the finance adviser noted, “We do have some nutritional deficiencies, especially among children and mothers. We are trying to address this issue as much as possible.
“Our food system is not well-balanced, particularly as we are heavily reliant on rice. We need more animal proteins, and for that, eggs are most essential.”
