Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed says the government is now dealing with some "sensitive" money-laundering cases and he is hopeful about recovering stolen assets through deals with foreign parties concerned.
"Those who laundered over Tk 2.0 billion have been identified. Hopefully we will be able to bring back the laundered money," he told reporters in reply to a query after a meeting of the Advisory Council Committee on Government Purchase at Bangladesh secretariat in the capital on Tuesday.
He also said the government is also trying to identify all the money-launderers and recover all the money siphoned off the country.
The note of optimism about the recovery comes from the custodian of exchequer when the post-uprising government has spearheaded anti-graft drives and its agencies are expropriating suspected ill-gotten movable and immovable property of the high-ups of the ousted government.
The adviser points out that there are some legal issues in this case and the countries where the assets have landed are involved here.
"We have to sign some deals with the foreign nations and agencies to help recover the siphoned- off money," Mr Ahmed said, adding that more details will be available next month.
Meantime, newly appointed Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser Dr Anisuzzaman Chowdhury also spoke about government efforts to repatriate the laundered assets.
He said many international agencies are offering help to Bangladesh to get back the stolen money.
However, Mr Chowdhury, who has been assigned to oversee the Ministry of Finance, would not disclose the names of the countries and agencies who are offering help in the asset-recovery drive geared up by the interim government.
"Bringing back siphoned-off money is a lengthy process and involves many legal issues," he told the press.
The special assistant, after meeting with finance adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed at his secretariat office, also said the government is re-evaluating the matter of Bangladesh's graduation from the least-developed country (LDC) status taking into consideration the headwinds facing the global and local economic fronts.
He mentions that a committee has been formed to assess the issue of LDC graduation. "I think we can take a decision on this within a short period."
Also, Mr Chowdhury said the country's economy is now in a fragile condition, and likened it to the situation in Gaza city of Palestine. "So, the work has begun to create a new roadmap for LDC graduation."
He urges the people to pay tax properly for the development of the country.
syful-islam@outlook.com
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