Staff Correspondent:

Around $18 billion to $20 billion was laundered abroad from Bangladesh during the Awami League regime, Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur said on Tuesday.

“We estimate that around $18 billion to $20 billion has been siphoned off from the country, but documenting this is a major challenge,” he said.

“However, the process is ongoing, and we have gathered substantial evidence,” added Mansur at a press conference held at the central bank headquarters in the capital.

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit organised the press conference to unveil its annual report for 2023–2024.

The governor said the laundered money must be brought back, calling it a new kind of experience for Bangladesh.

“None of us were prepared to handle such tasks. Efforts are underway to reduce bureaucratic complexities to expedite the process of recovering the laundered funds.”

“Legal reforms will be made for this purpose. “A joint investigation is ongoing, involving 11 groups,” he added.