Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus attended a meeting today at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) in Dhaka. Photo: PID
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus has directed the Bangladesh Bank governor and relevant authorities to promptly bring those involved in the looting of money from banks to justice.
He emphasized the urgency of ensuring that individuals responsible for these crimes are held accountable.
The Chief Adviser issued these directives during a meeting on "Bangladesh Economy: Recent Challenges and Future Way Forward" held at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) on Sunday.
The outcomes of the meeting were disclosed by Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam in a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.
Professor Yunus stressed that those involved in bank robberies and facing specific allegations must be swiftly brought to justice. �They should not remain beyond the reach of the law. They must be prosecuted at any cost,� he asserted. The Chief Adviser underscored that the individuals who stole from the banks essentially looted the hard-earned money of the people of Bangladesh, making it even more urgent to ensure justice.
During the meeting, Professor Yunus expressed satisfaction with the country's improving economic situation but emphasized the need for further progress. "We have come a long way from a difficult situation, but there is still work to be done. Our goal is to take the economy to a better place, and this remains our challenge," he said.
In addition to addressing economic issues, the Chief Adviser also called for immediate action to resolve challenges faced by Beximco, a prominent conglomerate in the country.
On the issue of expatriate income, CA Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar reported that there has been a 23 percent increase due to rising immigration. However, Yunus cautioned that there is still significant untapped potential in this sector and directed relevant authorities to explore this further. He also instructed the concerned officials to expedite the reopening of visas for Bangladeshi migrants in countries where they are currently unavailable.
During the meeting, Financial Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed assured that macroeconomic stability had been restored and that Bangladesh was on the path to economic stability.
Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur also provided an update, revealing that all assets of the S Alam Group, involved in bank fraud, had been seized in efforts to recover the stolen money. Additionally, steps had been taken to address irregularities with Nagad. The governor confirmed that 12 individuals involved in looting from banks had been identified and that foreign experts were assisting in the investigation to trace how the money was stolen.
The central bank governor further shared that international efforts were underway to recover laundered funds. Delegations from the UK and Switzerland had visited Bangladesh to offer support in this process, and talks were ongoing with the US and Canada. He noted that the government was working diligently to recover approximately US$ 234 billion that had been laundered from Bangladesh.
At the press briefing, Chief Adviser�s Deputy Press Secretary Apurba Jahangir and Assistant Press Secretary Suchismita Tithi were also in attendance.
