REJAUL KARIM BYRON

Bangladesh authorities are seeking to establish legal agreements with nine countries and one territory, which have been identified as the primary destinations for laundered money, as part of efforts to recover illicit funds transferred abroad.

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has submitted an updated report to the government detailing the scale of the problem and the steps being taken to address it.

According to a Bangladesh Bank official, the destinations now under focus are Canada, the US, the UK, the UAE, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Switzerland, Thailand, and Hong Kong.

Negotiations are underway to sign mutual legal assistance treaties (MLATs) with these countries.

However, progress has been uneven.

Malaysia, Hong Kong and the UAE have agreed to sign treaties, while the US, the UK and Switzerland have proposed alternative arrangements, including memoranda of understanding and case-by-case agreements.

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