Bangladesh First PM vows crackdown on money laundering

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday declared a firm government stance against money laundering, vowing to stop the outflow of public funds abroad while inaugurating the third phase of the Family Card distribution programme in Moulvibazar’s Sreemangal.

“We will take a tough position from today against those who have laundered money from this country and those who want to siphon off people’s money abroad,” he said at the Victoria High School ground, where thousands of tea workers and local residents had gathered for the occasion.

Calling for collective vigilance, the Prime Minister urged citizens to remain watchful so that no one could drain the country’s wealth. “If we all keep our eyes and ears open, no one will be able to launder the country’s assets abroad. We will work together and use that money to change the lives of our people,” he said.

When he asked the audience whether they would stand with the government in that effort, thousands responded in unison with a resounding “yes.”

Tarique Rahman also coined a new slogan at the event: “We will work, we will build the country. Bangladesh first, Bangladesh for all.”

The Prime Minister drew a sharp contrast between his government’s approach and what he described as years of financial mismanagement under the previous administration. “We have seen over the past 17 years how public money was siphoned out of the country. Instead of being spent on the people, it was sent abroad by a political group,” he said.

Addressing questions about the funding of welfare initiatives such as the Family Card and Farmers’ Card programmes, he said the answer lay in ending the plunder of public funds. “I want to tell them that we will no longer allow people’s money to be siphoned abroad. People’s money will be spent on the people. It will be used for the country’s development and for changing the fate of its citizens. So, there will be no shortage of money, Insha-Allah,” he said.

The Prime Minister personally handed over Family Cards to ten women representing beneficiary families before formally inaugurating the third phase of the programme. He also distributed housing support grants of Tk 200,000 each to tea workers, along with scholarships for their children and financial assistance cheques for people with disabilities.

The programme, organised by the Ministry of Social Welfare, began with recitations from the Holy Quran and other religious scriptures, followed by the national anthem and the BNP party song.

Tarique Rahman used the occasion to push back against opposition criticism of the proposed 2026-27 national budget. Dismissing characterisations of it as “anti-people” — including one comparison to “chanachur” — he said such remarks undermined efforts to improve ordinary lives.

“This is a people’s budget. Through these allocations, we want to change the lives of our citizens. We have set aside funds for healthcare, for farmers and for ensuring that our children receive the best possible education. Yet some describe it as an anti-people budget,” he said.

He pointed to the government’s decision to withdraw duties on 60 essential commodities and asked: “When a budget contains measures for the welfare of citizens and relief for consumers, can those who oppose it truly claim to be friends of the people? The answer is no.”

The Prime Minister also cautioned against what he described as deliberate attempts to spread confusion and create unrest. “If those who want to create unrest get the opportunity, it will become difficult to continue programmes like Family Card, support for persons with disabilities, assistance for poor students and tax relief on essential commodities,” he warned.

Stressing the importance of public unity, he said: “If people remain united, no conspiracy can succeed and no one will be able to undermine democracy in Bangladesh.”

Recalling past political struggles, Tarique Rahman paid tribute to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, saying she had never abandoned the people in difficult times. “Bangladesh was her first address and her last address. We are the soldiers of Khaleda Zia,” he said.

He added: “The greatest strength of the BNP is the people. That is why we always say that the people are the source of all power.”

Social Welfare and Women and Children Affairs Minister AZM Zahid Hossain chaired the event. State Minister for Social Welfare Farzana Sharmin, Moulvibazar district BNP Convener Faizul Karim Mayun, lawmaker Mujibur Rahman Chowdhury, Additional Secretary Kamal Uddin Biswas and beneficiaries Shiuly Rani Das and Wajeda Begum also addressed the gathering.