A New York court has ordered former Bangladesh Bank governor Ahsan H Mansur to give a deposition on 10 April 2026, as part of ongoing legal proceedings concerning the central bank’s reserve heist and the recovery of stolen funds.
According to an internal document from the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), legal counsel Dharmendra Nair and barrister Syed Afzal Hasan Uddin confirmed the court directive in emails sent on 11 March 2026, outlining the preparations for Mansur’s deposition.
The document states that Mansur had previously submitted an affidavit in response to the court’s request and will now attend a deposition following preparatory sessions organised by Bangladesh Bank’s appointed law firms BSNK and Keystone on 6 and 10 April 2026.
Mansur left Bangladesh on 4 April, with a stopover in Washington DC before heading to New York, and is scheduled to return on 12 April. He has also requested that a relevant official accompany him during the visit, according to the document.
The central bank will bear the full cost of the trip. The BFIU document considers it “reasonable” to provide Mansur with facilities equivalent to those of a sitting governor, including airfare, hotel accommodation, and protocol support, to be arranged by the governor’s office.
In addition, lawyers involved in the case have requested the presence of BFIU Deputy Head Md Mofizur Rahman Khan Chowdhury in the US during the same period to discuss ongoing matters and expert evidence.
A meeting with co-lead counsel Cozen O’Connor is also planned. The document recommends that both Mansur and the BFIU deputy head travel between 4 and 12 April at Bangladesh Bank’s expense.
It also proposes nominating another official involved in the reserve recovery process to assist with coordination during the visit.
Separately, Keystone’s lawyer Dharmendra Nair has requested payment of 15,000 British pounds for costs related to the deposition process, including his travel to New York. A bill dated 11 March 2026 has been submitted with bank details for payment.
The note also proposes approving travel for barrister Syed Afzal Hasan Uddin to the US between 8 and 10 April, with facilities equivalent to those of a deputy governor, noting that he received similar facilities during earlier proceedings.
Citing the sensitivity of the matter, the BFIU has recommended that the travel order not be published on Bangladesh Bank’s website, although immigration authorities should be informed.
Officials will coordinate with foreign legal teams, including BSNK, Keystone, and Cozen O’Connor, in connection with the case.
Ahsan H Mansur could not be reached for comment despite phone calls seeking his response on the visit.
