He made the statement on Wednesday while responding to supplementary questions in the National Parliament, in a session chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed. A dedicated question-and-answer session for the Prime Minister was held for the first time in the 13th National Parliament.
According to the Prime Minister, legal proceedings are underway in 11 priority cases identified by an inter-agency taskforce to recover laundered funds. These cases involve 11 individuals and entities, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former Land Minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, and major business groups such as S Alam Group, Beximco Group, Bashundhara Group, Summit Group, among others.
Citing findings from a white paper committee formed during the interim government, Rahman said that approximately $234 billion was illegally transferred out of Bangladesh between 2009 and 2023—an average of $16 billion per year. He noted that since the funds were moved to multiple countries, the government is strengthening information exchange, asset identification, and mutual legal assistance with relevant nations.
Ten countries have been initially identified as major destinations of laundered funds, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Switzerland, Australia, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. Among them, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the UAE have agreed to sign mutual legal assistance agreements, while discussions with the remaining countries are ongoing.
The Prime Minister also said that 11 joint investigation teams have been formed under the leadership of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), in coordination with the Criminal Investigation Department of Bangladesh Police, the National Board of Revenue’s Central Intelligence Cell, and the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate.
As of March 25, 2026, courts have seized assets worth approximately BDT 70,446 crore, including BDT 57,168 crore within the country and BDT 13,278 crore abroad. A total of 141 cases have been filed, with charge sheets submitted in 15 cases and verdicts delivered in six.
Responding to a question from Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Mujibur Rahman, Rahman said the government is committed to following legal procedures in recovering laundered money and ensuring justice. He added that those responsible for financial crimes will face punishment under the law.
On social welfare measures, the Prime Minister said a family card program was launched on March 10 across selected areas in 13 districts. Initially, 37,814 women-led families received financial support, with plans to include 30,000 more within the current fiscal year. Over the next four years, the program aims to cover 40 million families.
He explained that issuing the cards in the name of female heads of households would ensure that funds are spent on food, nutrition, healthcare, and education, while also strengthening women’s financial control and decision-making power within families.
In response to a question from lawmaker ABM Mosharraf Hossain, Rahman said the program would be implemented gradually, with budget allocations increasing each year. He emphasized that the initiative is not funded by printing money and therefore will not create inflation. Instead, the funds will circulate within the local economy, boosting employment and improving living standards for marginalized communities.
Another lawmaker, Akhtar Hossain, raised concerns about possible inflationary pressure. In response, the Prime Minister reiterated that phased implementation and targeted distribution would help maintain economic stability while strengthening the grassroots economy.
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