Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) and Transparency International US (TI-US) have jointly sent letters to the US government, urging it to freeze properties laundered from Bangladesh and take immediate steps to return them.
The letters, addressed to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, called for swift actions to collaborate with other countries in holding accountable those involved in laundering money from Bangladesh and repatriating the illicit assets.
Previously, TIB, along with several US-based anti-corruption watchdogs, urged the US, the European Union, and other countries to freeze illegal properties owned by Bangladeshis and return the stolen wealth.
In the letters, TIB and TI-US wrote to Secretary Blinken and Secretary Yellen, emphasising that credible evidence of state asset misappropriation by former Bangladeshi officials and their associates has surfaced. These assets, they noted, rightfully belong to the people of Bangladesh.
They urged the US government to identify and seize any such assets located in the US, initiating the process to return these funds to Bangladesh to aid in building a more transparent and accountable future.
The letter also highlighted overwhelming corruption allegations involving former ministers, bankers, senior public officials, members of the armed forces, and police.
TIB and TI-US further called on the US government to support Bangladesh's interim government in tackling corruption and money laundering.
In the letter, they wrote, “The US should investigate whether any assets looted by Bangladeshi individuals or companies are recoverable within the US and act swiftly to impose freezing orders on these assets as a first step toward their forfeiture and repatriation to Bangladesh.
The anti-corruption watchdog also asked US authorities that they could provide expertise, including forensic accountants, lawyers, and law enforcement officers, to assist in reforming and strengthening Bangladeshi institutions such as the Anti-Corruption Commission, Financial Intelligence Unit, Criminal Investigation Department, National Board of Revenue, and the Attorney General’s Office.
