Yunus govt a champion in money laundering too!

As time progresses, the list of misdeeds committed during the one-and-a-half-year tenure of the Yunus government grows longer. The eighteen-month rule under the leadership of Nobel Peace Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus is being regarded as the darkest chapter in the history of Bangladesh. During these one and a half years, the people of Bangladesh faced a catastrophic situation across all sectors—not only in the economy but also in law and order, society, education, culture, and health.

Yunus government’s record in money laundering

In corruption and money laundering, Yunus and his associates have broken all past records. A recent news report has unveiled an unbelievable picture of money laundering and looting during the one and a half years of the Yunus government.

Within a span of one year, the amount of money deposited by Bangladeshis in Swiss banks has increased by nearly 41 percent. According to statistics from 2025, the amount of money deposited by Bangladeshis in the banks of that country has risen to 834.1 million Swiss Francs (the currency of Switzerland). In 2024, this amount was approximately 590 million Swiss Francs.

This information was revealed in the annual report of Switzerland’s central bank, the Swiss National Bank (SNB), published last Thursday.

According to current market rates, one Swiss Franc yields between 152 to 153 Taka. Calculating at 152 Taka per Swiss Franc, the total money deposited by Bangladeshis in Swiss banks at the end of 2025 stands at 12,678 crore Taka, according to the Swiss bank report.

As per the published report, the money deposited by Bangladeshis in Swiss banks last year (2025) was the highest since 2021. It was also the second-highest deposit in the last 10 years.

The SNB report stated that with 3.2 billion Swiss Francs in deposits, Indian citizens and their banks topped the list among South Asian countries in 2025, although their deposits decreased by 8 percent compared to the previous year. Bangladesh holds the second position with 834.2 million Swiss Francs, and compared to India, Bangladesh’s deposits increased by 41 percent. Prior to this, in 2021, deposits by Bangladeshis in Swiss banks reached a peak of 871.1 million Swiss Francs. Following that, deposits decreased consecutively for two years, but they began to rise again in 2024, followed by an even larger jump in 2025.

It is worth noting that Swiss banks are not the only destination for money laundering from Bangladesh. Rather, statistics show that only a very small fraction of the money laundered from Bangladesh is deposited in Swiss banks. Various research papers and cases of illicit financial flows indicate that money from Bangladesh is most frequently laundered to 10 countries or regions. These 10 destinations are the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, the Cayman Islands, and the British Virgin Islands. According to historical statistics, at least ten times the amount of money increased in Swiss banks is laundered to these countries. Thus, it can be inferred that at least two lakh crore Taka was laundered from Bangladesh over the past year. This is the highest figure for a single year. In other words, all past records of money laundering have been broken during the one and a half years of the Yunus government.

More laundering under Yunus than the Awami League era

There are allegations that a massive amount of money was laundered during the tenure of the previous Awami League government. A white paper committee was formed during the interim government to investigate this money laundering. Citing information from the white paper committee formed during the interim government, Prime Minister Tareq stated that between 2009 and 2023, the volume of illicit financial outflows from Bangladesh was approximately 234 billion USD, averaging 16 billion USD (around 1 lakh 80 thousand crore Taka) per year. Calculating based on the money deposited in Swiss banks, it appears that during the Yunus era, at least twenty thousand crore Taka more was laundered than the annual average under the Awami League.

The Prime Minister has stated in multiple speeches that money laundering will no longer take place. He also expressed the government’s firm stance on bringing back laundered money. Bringing everyone involved in laundering to justice is one of the key electoral pledges of the current government.

In this year’s budget, special initiatives have been taken to repatriate laundered money. However, the Swiss bank data has brought new questions to light. What measures will the current government take to bring back the money laundered during the Yunus era? Or will their laundering activities be ignored?

Falsehoods regarding money laundering by the Yunus government

After assuming power, Dr. Muhammad Yunus preached to the nation about preventing money laundering. He traveled to various countries to talk about money laundering for his own publicity, but it yielded no actual results. Yunus had said that the laundered money would be brought back very quickly. However, this assurance from Yunus was mere empty rhetoric.

The Bangladesh Bank Governor appointed by him went a step further. He spun tales of bringing back the laundered money within six months. He traveled to various countries using state funds under the pretext of repatriating the laundered money. But at the end of the day, he claimed that bringing back laundered money is a time-consuming process.

In reality, allegations of money laundering exist against him as well. During his tenure as Governor, he bought a luxurious flat in Dubai in his daughter’s name. It is easy to deduce that this was purchased through money laundering, as Ahsan H. Mansur or his daughter did not take permission from Bangladesh Bank to transfer the money to Dubai for buying the flat.

Not only the central bank Governor, but corruption and money laundering allegations also exist against many advisors of the interim government. Following the departure of the interim government, corruption complaints against most of the advisors under the Yunus government have been filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission. Except for a few like former advisors Asif Nazrul, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adilur Rahman, and Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, allegations of corruption worth hundreds of crores of Taka against almost all advisors are now an open secret. Specifically, the question of why former Law Advisor Asif Nazrul and Asif Mahmud visited Switzerland has generated fresh debate. Many individuals involved in the 2024 movement, including NCP leader Nahid Islam, have alleged at various times that a vast amount of money was laundered during the Yunus government’s regime.

These allegations need to be investigated

Instead of taking action against actual money launderers and corrupt individuals, the Yunus government used this issue for dirty politics. Yunus weaponized the money laundering issue against his political opponents.

Before any impartial investigation into the money laundering incidents could take place, many were labeled as money launderers out of vengeance and subjected to harassment. Through media trials, the Yunus government essentially declared war against the private sector. Consequently, while the actual money launderers remained hidden, new pathways for money laundering were opened up. Above all, such actions brought catastrophic disasters to the country’s private sector and economy.

Everyone knows who laundered money during the previous Awami League government. However, during its one and a half years, the Yunus government failed to take action against them; instead, it harassed various reputable institutions and businesses.

Some advisors of the Yunus government took responsibility for protecting the assets of several money launderers. Many advisors and their relatives acted as custodians of their wealth.

Taking action against these money launderers is a public demand. It is hoped that the current government will handle this with complete neutrality.

At the same time, an investigation must be conducted against those who laundered money abroad after the fall of the Awami League. If Bangladesh succeeds in bringing back the money laundered over the past 17 years, the economy of Bangladesh will be transformed. To stop money laundering, all launderers must be brought to justice. No discrimination should be made based on who belongs to the Awami League or the interim government. Even if someone from the BNP is involved in money laundering, action must be taken against them. It must be remembered that money launderers and corrupt individuals have no political party. They have only one identity: they are enemies of the country, enemies of the people.

______________________________________

Audite Karim is a writer and playwright. 

Email: [email protected]