UK freezes assets worth over £250mn linked to Bangladeshi individuals: Sarah Cooke
She welcomed Bangladesh’s peaceful democratic transition and said the UK looks forward to working closely with the new government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on shared priorities benefiting both peoples.
British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke yesterday (28 April) said the UK, since June 2025, has frozen over £250 million in assets in the UK linked to Bangladeshi individuals, underlining their determination to uphold the rule of law and the integrity of the international financial system.
"We are very committed to working further in that area. Of course, we can't talk about specific cases. They all need to follow the due legal process and make sure that they are evidence-based. But it is a high priority for us," she said while responding to a question during "DCAB Talk".
Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) hosted the "DCAB Talk" at Jatiya Press Club.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
High Commissioner Cooke said the United Kingdom is committed to supporting Bangladesh's efforts to strengthen economic governance and tackle illicit finance.
The envoy said this is something that they have worked very closely with the government over the last 18 months to two years.
"I think that [steps taken so far] gives you a very strong demonstration of the commitment to working with the government on this area," she said.
"The United Kingdom will also host an Illicit Finance Summit in London this June," said the High Commissioner, noting that the Summit will bring together international partners to strengthen cooperation, share expertise, and advance collective action against illicit finance.
"We hope to welcome the Finance Minister of Bangladesh [Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury] to London for this important gathering," she said.
Taking place at Lancaster House in London over two days from June 23-24, the Illicit Finance Summit will bring together governments, civil society organisations, and private sector representatives, such as major banks, to build an international coalition to tackle flows of dirty money around the world and strengthen the UK's national security.
In the UK, dirty money lurks behind drug-related violence and organised immigration crime, allowing criminals to store their profits without a trace.
The Summit will focus on strengthening global enforcement efforts to prevent, disrupt and recover dirty money, including through closer collaboration with the private sector.
It will forge new agreements to tackle modern methods for moving dirty money, such as laundering in the property sector, misuse of crypto-assets, and trading in illicit gold.
"And, of course, we hope that Bangladesh will be represented at that Summit. We look forward to welcoming the Finance Minister. So, I hope that gives you a sense of just how committed the UK is to working with Bangladesh in this area," said the High Commissioner.
DCAB President AKM Moinuddin and General Secretary Emrul Kayesh also spoke at the event, where the High Commissioner described the relationship between Bangladesh and the UK as "modern and strategic."
