Tk 40,000cr Stolen Assets Traced Abroad, Says NBR’s CIC

The Central Intelligence Cell (CIC) of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has traced assets worth Tk 40,000 crore abroad, built through money laundering from Bangladesh.

CIC Director General Ahsan Habib disclosed the findings to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus during a meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna. NBR Chairman Md Abdur Rahman Khan was also present.

The investigation, conducted since January, covered seven cities across five countries. So far, 346 properties have been identified under the names of individuals and organisations linked to siphoned funds.

In addition, 352 passports acquired by Bangladeshis in exchange for money were detected across nine countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Austria, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, North Macedonia, Malta, Saint Lucia, and Turkey.

“This is only a partial picture,” said Ahsan Habib. “What we have found so far is just the tip of the iceberg. Our teams are working to seize these properties, bring them back under Bangladesh’s favour, and ensure punishment for those involved.”

He added that more than six international organisations are cooperating with Bangladesh in recovering the stolen wealth. CIC has also developed expertise in retrieving deleted data from the Central Bank Database, previously manipulated to conceal laundering activities.

Chief Adviser Prof Yunus called the looting of national resources an act of treason. He urged strong coordination among CIC, ACC, CID, and other agencies to track offenders and recover assets.

“An example must be set so that no one dares to plunder the country’s wealth in the future,” Prof Yunus said, assuring full government support for the investigation.

He stressed that the probe must dig deeper, expand to more countries, and expose the culprits. “If we want to build a just and prosperous nation for future generations, these looters must be brought to justice,” he added.