Despite it seems to be a tough task, the interim government is making best efforts to bring back the laundered money from abroad, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has said.
“The government has enough efforts to bring back the laundered money,” he said while speaking at a press briefing at Foreign Service Academy here today.
Replying to a question, Alam said the Chief Adviser in his meeting with the heads of the states and other organizations in USA in September last on the side line of the UNGA, made it clear that the money laundering issue was one of the main agenda of his government.
Prof Yunus discussed the issue with the western ambassadors in the country and Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) is working on it, the press secretary said.
The finance adviser and the central bank governor during their annual meeting with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) also discussed the issue, he said, adding that the government is in continuous talks with Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in this regard.
“You know it is a tough task but all of our efforts are on. We are working on how to bring the money back to the country,” he said.
“This is the money of the people of Bangladesh. We hope if the (stolen) money is returned, the country’s people will be benefited,” he added.
At a meeting on November 2 last, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) Executive Director Dr Iftekharuzzaman said every year some US$ 12 billion to $ 15 billion has been siphoned off from Bangladesh during the regime of Awami League government.