Bangladesh is intensifying efforts to recover vast sums of money allegedly laundered abroad, with a high-level delegation led by Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur currently in the UK to seek assistance.
He said in London, one of our two tasks is to discuss at the international level how to involve the rural people in the financial sector and learn lessons for ourselves. Another task is to recover our wealth. Some of the wealth smuggled from the country has come to London, we know that. That is why I have come here to discuss with politicians, journalists, civil society, and law firms.
Expressing hope about the return of wealth, the BB Governor said, the international experience that we have seen shows that it is possible to return wealth. Nigeria has succeeded, Malaysia has also succeeded, Angola has also recovered 15.7 billion dollars. All of it has been recovered from their former rulers. In the case of Bangladesh, this may be even more.
He said that Bangladesh has spoken to several legal consulting firms in UK, and they are also optimistic about returning Bangladesh's assets.
The governor suspects that a part of the assets looted by Hasina's government associates may be used to buy property in the UK. He said that during Sheikh Hasina's tenure, Bangladesh's situation was similar to Sri Lanka's.
Ahsan H Mansur also said that Bangladesh's economy has done quite well in the last few months. The reserves are stable, the exchange rate has improved. Even during Ramadan, the market is stable, and there are no complaints about commodity prices in the market.
Meanwhile, British MPs believe they may have been targeted by a disinformation campaign aimed at discrediting Ahsan Mansur, the man leading efforts to trace funds allegedly laundered from Bangladesh into the UK.
They raised concerns after receiving emails about Mansur, who became Bangladesh’s central bank governor last year following a student-led revolution that ousted Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic government, The Guardian reports.
The BB Governor said that those under investigation for money laundering are trying to tarnish my reputation and target me in various ways.
Meanwhile, APPG member Rupa Haque received a separate email. Rupa Haque said, “It is very unusual that I have received such an email. This is an attempt to obstruct our work. The MPs have brought the matter to the attention of the Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. They are investigating this misleading campaign.”
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
