UK freezes £250m Bangladesh-linked assets

The United Kingdom has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Bangladesh in recovering stolen assets and strengthening economic governance, while intensifying global efforts to tackle illicit financial flows.

Speaking at a Diplomatic Correspondents Association Bangladesh (DCAB) Talk at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka on Tuesday, British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke said the UK has frozen £250 million in assets linked to Bangladeshi individuals and reiterated continued cooperation on asset recovery.

“Since June 2025, the UK has frozen over £250 million in assets in the UK linked to Bangladeshi individuals, underlining our determination to uphold the rule of law and the integrity of the international financial system,” she said.

Responding to questions on asset recovery, she added: “We can’t talk about specific cases.

They all need to follow due legal process and make sure that they are evidence-based but it is a high priority for us.

We have frozen 250 million pounds of assets currently in the UK.”
Cooke also said the UK will host an Illicit Finance Summit in London this June.

“The summit will bring together international partners to strengthen cooperation, share expertise and advance collective action against illicit finance.

It gives a sense of how the UK is committed to working with Bangladesh in this area,” she said.

Her remarks come amid growing calls in Bangladesh for the return of funds allegedly laundered abroad.

However, she stressed that asset recovery depends on legal procedures in relevant jurisdictions.

Beyond financial issues, Cooke addressed Bangladesh’s political situation, including debates over reform initiatives often referred to as the “July Charter”.

“Bangladesh now has a parliamentary democracy in place. The people have voted,” she said.

“It is for parliament to come together, for MPs to debate and discuss, and to decide the best course of action in terms of taking forward the reforms and the July Charter.”

“It is not for the international community to comment on that publicly,” she added.

On broader governance reforms, she said: “We are supportive of reforms that improve governance, improve human rights and improve stability.”

Referring to the events of July 2024, Cooke said: “The events of July 2024 remain very fresh in many people’s memories, and the situation still feels very raw.”

She welcomed the proposed truth and healing commission, describing it as “an important step towards justice, accountability and truth-seeking for abuses that were committed under the former regime.”

Cooke also highlighted bilateral relations, particularly in trade.

“The trade partnership between the UK and Bangladesh is very strong,” she said, noting that the UK’s trading scheme is “one of the most generous in the world” and that Bangladesh is among its largest beneficiaries.

“We’d like to support more Bangladeshi companies to export to the UK in a wider range of sectors,” she added.

On defence cooperation, she referred to longstanding ties, including the transfer of the former HMS Enterprise, which she described as “a very positive sign”.

She added, “We’re also working together to support the training of future military leaders.”

Asked about private diplomatic discussions, she declined to provide details.

“It’s not possible for me to discuss private meetings that I have with members of the government,” she said, adding that such talks generally focus on “the strength of our partnership” and shared priorities.

On human rights, she reiterated the UK’s global position, saying Britain continues to work with international bodies and has recently taken a leadership role in the Media Freedom Coalition.

Turning to the Rohingya crisis and Myanmar’s Rakhine State, she said: “The UK is one of the largest donors to the Rohingya response in Cox’s Bazar,” and added that Britain is supporting humanitarian efforts in Rakhine while working through the UN Security Council towards a political solution.

On wider geopolitical tensions, she said developments in the Middle East were having global economic impacts.

“It’s an issue that doesn’t just affect the region-it’s affecting Bangladesh, it’s affecting the UK economy,” she said, adding that the UK is working “heavily behind the scenes to promote a diplomatic solution to the crisis”.

On aviation cooperation, Cooke said it would not be appropriate to discuss commercial matters in detail, but noted that a government-to-government agreement supports Bangladesh’s ambition to become a regional aviation hub.

She added that a mixed-fleet strategy involving Airbus “would bring significant benefits” but declined to comment on commercial interests.

DCAB President AKM Moinuddin and General Secretary Emrul Kayesh were also present at the event.