Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Monday (10 March) underscored the need for expeditious efforts to recover billions of taka siphoned off through banking channels and other illicit means, as the government prepares to enact a special law to meet legal requirements.
Speaking at a high-level meeting of the 11-member taskforce formed in September last year, Yunus reiterated the government’s determination to reclaim the misappropriated wealth.
Briefing reporters at the Foreign Service Academy, the Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, stated that the proposed law would facilitate the retrieval of stolen money and would be enacted through an ordinance, given the absence of Parliament.
"It's a kind of highway robbery. Recovering the stolen money is the government’s top priority, and it will be brought back at any cost," Shafiqul Alam said, adding that the meeting lasted approximately 90 minutes.
Interim government has already consulted nearly 200 law firms and is considering agreements with 30 to assist in the legal proceedings.
The administration is particularly focused on 11 major entities and individuals, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her family members.
Providing an example of the scale of financial misappropriation, Shafiqul Alam cited a case where an individual allegedly transferred Tk400-500 crore under the guise of tuition fees.
The taskforce resolved to delve deeper into the mechanics of money laundering, tracing the funds to their destinations.
Yunus sought progress updates from all attendees and urged them to exert their utmost efforts in expediting the recovery process.
It was also decided that such meetings would be held on a monthly basis, with the next session scheduled to take place after Eid.
