Dhaka seeks US co-op to recover laundered money
Staff Reporter :
The governments of Bangladesh and the United States have initiated discussions to enhance cooperation in anti-corruption measures, money laundering prevention, and asset recovery.
During a meeting held on Sunday in Washington, D.C., Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin and U.S. Global Coordinator for Anti-Corruption Shelby Smith-Wilson explored strategies to improve financial integrity and governance.
The dialogue comes at a critical time, as allegations of significant financial misconduct have tainted Bangladesh’s political landscape, particularly under the previous Awami League government.
Reports suggest that large sums of money were illicitly transferred to foreign destinations, including the United States, raising concerns about accountability within Bangladesh’s political system.
In a post on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ official X handle, it was stated: “Excellent conversations took place between Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin and Acting Coordinator for Global Anti-Corruption, Shelby Smith-Wilson, on strengthening collaboration to counter corruption, tackle money laundering, and recover stolen assets.”
The high-level engagement reflects the commitment of both countries to reinforce governance and uphold the rule of law.
Discussions also focused on establishing technical and mutual legal assistance (MLA) agreements for reforms and increasing the exchange of experiences and expertise in key areas.
The talks emphasised the importance of involving procurement systems, law enforcement agencies, the judiciary, and the media in fostering transparency and promoting good governance.
Before arriving in Washington, Foreign Secretary Jashim Uddin visited New York. He is scheduled to leave Washington on October 14.
Earlier, on Saturday, the Foreign Secretary also held discussions with U.S. Under-Secretary Uzra Zeya. Their talks covered reforms of democratic institutions, accountability for human rights violations, humanitarian responses, sustainable solutions to the Rohingya crisis, and labour rights issues.