Bangladesh authorities have seized assets worth an estimated $6.2 billion linked to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her family, and several business groups, marking a major step in ongoing investigations following her dramatic fall from power.
Officials said the confiscated assets amount to about 760 billion taka, with 570 billion taka located within Bangladesh and another 190 billion taka traced overseas, according to The Nation News. The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), which is leading the probe, has so far opened 98 cases related to alleged corruption, money laundering, and illicit wealth accumulation tied to Hasina’s long tenure.
Hasina was ousted in 2024 after a student led mass uprising that ended her 15-year rule, often described by critics as increasingly authoritarian. She fled to India in August that year, where she has remained since. Her departure triggered sweeping investigations into her financial dealings, as well as those of close relatives and business groups believed to have benefited during her time in office.
BFIU chief Ikhtiar Mohammad Mamun said efforts are still underway to recover funds believed to have been moved abroad. “We are working to bring back the laundered money,” he told reporters, expressing hope for tangible progress by the end of the year.
In her absence, courts in Bangladesh have convicted Hasina in multiple cases, including corruption linked to the allocation of high-value plots in Dhaka. She has also been sentenced to death in a separate case involving crimes against humanity, a verdict that has further deepened political tensions.
The government has formally requested her extradition from India. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said authorities are determined to ensure she returns to face justice. Whether she will be able to appeal any of the rulings, he added, will ultimately be decided by the courts.
Despite the mounting legal pressure, Hasina has recently indicated that she intends to return to Bangladesh before the end of the year.
