Dhaka: Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam today announced that the primary objective of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus's visit to London is the recovery of stolen assets. 'During Sheikh Hasina's reign, US$ 234 billion was siphoned off from Bangladesh to various countries, with a portion of it laundered to the UK,' Alam stated at a press briefing.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Alam emphasized that the UK government is providing significant assistance to Bangladesh in this asset recovery endeavor. He highlighted the importance of this task for the interim government, stating, 'We are doing it so that the money can be brought back to the country and used for the welfare of the people.'
National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman, Special Envoy to the Chief Adviser Lutfey Siddiqi, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Dr. Mohammad Abdul Momen, and Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Ahsan H Mansur are accompanying the Chief Adviser on this visit. They have held meetings with UK authorities, including the National Crimes Agency (NCA), regarding the recovery of the stolen assets. Alam noted that the NCA has already frozen an asset belonging to Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, a former land minister from the ousted Sheikh Hasina government.
Alam expressed optimism about the outcome of these meetings, citing the longstanding friendship and good relations between Britain and Bangladesh, and said, 'we are seeing the reflection of these meetings.' Additionally, Alam mentioned an upcoming meeting between Prof Yunus and BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman in London, describing it as significant in the context of the national elections scheduled for April next year and the current overall situation in the country.