Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit has identified 42 loan-defaulting groups suspected of laundering bank-borrowed money abroad, according to a report published on August 10, 2026. Their combined defaulted loans total $2.549 billion, or about Tk31,557 crore at Tk123.80 per dollar. Authorities identified nearly $221.9 million allegedly laundered by four companies and said related banks have begun efforts to recover funds and assets.

The listed groups include SB Exim, Habib, Yasir, AWR, Liberty, Premier, Laskar and Saad Musa. Reported identified amounts include $26.8 million for SB Exim, $134.1 million for Habib, about $40 million for Yasir and about $20 million for AWR. The 42 entities were identified in a second phase using Bangladesh Bank Credit Information Bureau data covering institutions with more than Tk200 crore in defaulted loans.

Eight international legal and professional advisory firms have been contracted to identify and recover overseas assets on a no-win, no-pay basis. Preliminary information points to possible laundering in countries including the United States, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, Canada and Singapore. Bangladesh Bank officials said identified assets would first be frozen or seized under relevant foreign laws before legal steps are taken to return proceeds to Bangladesh.