Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H. Mansur has said rising international pressure on illicit financial flows has led to the recent seizure of luxury assets in London linked to associates of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Speaking at the launch of a loan capacity enhancement program organised by the Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) in Dhaka’s Agargaon area on Saturday, Governor Mansur stated, “We are encouraged by the recent asset freeze in the UK. This momentum must continue. Numerous individuals and institutions tied to Bangladesh have undisclosed properties abroad, especially in the UK. We hope more of these will be identified and frozen.”
The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) has reportedly frozen properties worth £90 million (approximately BDT 1,479 crore), allegedly owned by Ahmed Shayan F. Rahman, son of former private industry and investment adviser Salman F. Rahman, and his cousin Ahmed Shahriar Rahman. Both are closely associated with Hasina. The seized assets include luxury apartments in London’s prestigious Grosvenor Square.
According to the NCA’s order, the Rahman cousins are barred from selling these assets pending legal proceedings. The Guardian had previously named both individuals in an investigative report on overseas holdings of influential Bangladeshis.
Speaking to journalists after the event, Mansur disclosed that he had recently traveled to London and held discussions with UK officials regarding money laundering. “Our chief adviser has declared our political commitment to repatriate stolen funds. International partners are now feeling the pressure to act,” he added.
Global media outlets such as the Financial Times and Al Jazeera have published extensive reports on the issue, while British lawmakers and NGOs are also showing support for asset recovery initiatives, the Governor noted. “This collective pressure has helped trigger the recent seizure,” he said.
Mansur emphasized that while asset seizures are not the same as repatriation, they are a critical first step. “These properties cannot be sold until a legal verdict is reached. A court will decide whether the assets belong to the UK or to Bangladesh. We’re preparing to initiate the legal process.”
He also indicated that illicitly acquired assets linked to Bangladeshi nationals exist in other countries, including the UAE and Singapore. “I was in Dubai last week. I plan to visit Singapore and return to London soon. There are also plans to organize an international conference on money laundering,” he said.
Calling on the global community to take a firm moral stance, the Governor concluded, “Retaining these assets is ethically indefensible. This is stolen wealth from the Bangladeshi people. It must be returned, and we urge the international community to act decisively.”
New bank notes to hit market before Eid-ul-Adha
The Governor also announced that the government is set to introduce new currency notes ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, with designs emphasizing national heritage rather than portraits.
“New Tk1,000, Tk 50 and Tk 20 banknotes will be released into circulation before Eid-ul-Azha. The notes will not feature any human portraits but will, instead, showcase natural landscapes and traditional landmarks of Bangladesh,” he said.
Replying to a question from journalists after the ceremony, Mansur said the new bank notes that the government will release ahead of Eid-ul-Azha will have images of mosques, temples, historical landmarks and natural sceneries printed on them, while these notes will not have images of any person.
Asked about what types of monuments will be on these notes, the BB governor said, “Some historically significant monuments will be printed on these notes, be it a mosque or a temple. We are not differentiating on this matter.”