Recovering laundered money top priority of govt: Yunus tells UK under-secretary

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus said today that recovering money laundered by corrupt politicians, oligarchs, and bureaucrats is a top priority of the interim government. 
He made the remark as the UK Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Indo-Pacific Catherine West called on him at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka.
Prof Yunus thanked the under-secretary when she said that the UK would extend its support to Dhaka’s efforts to bring back tens of billions of dollars siphoned off abroad during Sheikh Hasina’s nearly sixteen-year-long rule, according to a press release of the CA press wing.
“It is important to let you know that you’ve got our support,” said West.
Quoting Transparency International Bangladesh’s recent report, Prof Yunus said more than $12 billion were siphoned off abroad annually.
Yunus also described his government’s initiatives to reform the country’s key institutions and the election commission.
The reforms aim at ensuring free and fair elections and to break away from the rampant vote-rigging practices he said.
West backed the reforms, saying Britain would like to see vibrant debates on the key aspects of electoral, judiciary, and constitutional reforms.
“Debates are very important,” she said.
West announced £10.3 million of UK grant support to provide essential services and assistance to the Rohingya refugees, the host communities and those affected by natural disasters in Bangladesh.
Yunus reiterated his call for an “UN-overseen safe zone” for communities in Myanmar’s violence-plagued Rakhine so that they don’t have to flee across the border to Bangladesh, and charities and aid groups can take food and assistance at the doorsteps of the displaced people.
They also discussed geopolitical issues, minority rights, ties with South Asian neighbours, and Bangladesh’s recent 40-megawatt energy deal with Nepal.
Yunus said his government has fully backed the creation of a South Asia electricity grid to bring power from hydroelectricity-rich Nepal and Bhutan.
Bangladesh can ease off its reliance on fossil fuels if it can import renewable energy from the two Himalayan countries. Bangladesh needs collaboration with India to this effect, he added.
During the meeting, Sarah Cook, British High Commissioner to Dhaka, said a UK medical team arrived in the country this month to treat students and other demonstrators who were critically injured during the July-August mass uprising.
“They are conducting three surgeries a day,” she said.