Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur announced that the interim government will establish two sovereign funds to manage assets seized from oligarchs accused of plundering public money under the deposed Sheikh Hasina regime.

Speaking after a high-level meeting on asset repatriation, Mansur said, “One fund will comprise assets looted from banks, while another will be formed with assets from non-banking sources.”

Bank shares, including those of S Alam Group worth Tk 120–140 billion, will be handed over to affected banks for recapitalisation and eventual sale to strategic investors to compensate depositors. “This will help restore financial stability,” Mansur noted.

Assets linked to non-banking corruption will support social welfare initiatives for the poor.

Mansur emphasised the legal framework for recovery, stating, “The entire process will be lawful. Relevant rules may be amended if required.” Asset repatriation may take four to five years, but asset freezing could occur within a year.

The government is sending Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) requests to foreign jurisdictions to freeze offshore assets. Foreign assets worth $164 million have already been identified, alongside domestic assets worth over Tk 1.31 trillion linked to the former Prime Minister and 10 conglomerates.

The Governor also revealed that mobile financial service Nagad misappropriated Tk 26.5 billion, including Tk 6.4 billion in e-money.

Mansur added that Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus would raise the money-laundering issue during an upcoming UK visit.

“There’s no peaceful sleep for those spending $30 million annually on legal defence,” he remarked, referring to key suspects.