The government has extended the tenure of the high-level committee reviewing the 2016 Bangladesh Bank (BB) reserve heist for the third time, giving it two more months to submit its recommendations by December 31.
The Cabinet Division issued a notification regarding the extension on Sunday.
The committee, originally formed on March 11, 2025, is headed by Law Adviser Asif Nazrul and was initially tasked with submitting its findings within three months. Its term has been extended twice before, with the latest tenure expiring on October 31.
Other members include Energy Adviser Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan, Special Assistant Fayez Ahmed Taiyeb (Posts, Telecommunications, and IT), Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Ahsan H Mansur, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Director Ali Ashfaq, and Rupali Bank Chairman Md Nazrul Huda.
The committee’s mandate is to review previous investigations, assess government actions, identify responsibilities for the theft, and recommend measures to prevent future incidents.
On February 4, 2016, $81 million was stolen from Bangladesh Bank’s reserves held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Unidentified individuals exploited the SWIFT payment system to fraudulently transfer the funds abroad.
The committee’s recommendations are expected to provide guidance on strengthening security measures and ensuring accountability in Bangladesh’s banking system.
Source: UNB
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
