UK Urged to Act on Bangladeshi Corruption, Seize Assets

As Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus begins an official visit to the United Kingdom, anti-corruption groups are urging British authorities to take decisive action against suspected illicit wealth linked to members of Bangladesh’s former ruling elite.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), Transparency International UK, and Spotlight on Corruption jointly called on the UK government to impose sanctions on individuals suspected of grand corruption and to intensify efforts to identify and freeze suspicious assets believed to be held in Britain.

“The UK must act now to support Bangladesh’s democratic transition and restore accountability,” said TIB Executive Director Iftekhar Zaman in a joint statement. “Recovering stolen wealth should be central to Bangladesh’s anti-corruption reforms—and the UK must show it is not a safe haven for dirty money.”

Susan Hawley, Executive Director of Spotlight on Corruption, stressed the urgency: “Sanctions are needed immediately to freeze Bangladeshi assets linked to bribery and theft—both in the UK and its overseas territories—before it is too late.”

Duncan Hames, Policy Director at Transparency International UK, added: “The UK has declared war on dirty money. Now is the time to act—starting with the estimated £400 million in UK properties linked to associates of the former government.”

Authorities have already frozen £90 million in suspected assets connected to this case.

Chief Adviser Yunus, leading Bangladesh’s interim government, has pledged comprehensive anti-corruption reforms and the recovery of public funds allegedly stolen during the former administration. A government report estimates that approximately $234 billion was illicitly taken out of Bangladesh between 2009 and 2023—over $16 billion annually.

The British High Commissioner in Dhaka and UK Foreign Secretary have publicly expressed support for Bangladesh’s reform efforts, with statements indicating that the “golden age of money laundering is over.”

With the recent political changes in Bangladesh, anti-corruption advocates say the UK must match its commitments with action—ensuring it no longer serves as a refuge for stolen wealth from Bangladesh.