Repatriating stolen money hard, but doable: US Embassy Charge d'Affaires
A number of senior US officials will visit Bangladesh in the next few months in an effort to cement ties between the two friendly nations, she says
Repatriating stolen money is hard, but it is doable, the US Embassy Charge d'Affaires Helen LaFave said today (31 October).
She paid a farewell call on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at his office in Dhaka's Tejgaon, where the issue was discussed.
"We will definitely make it happen," the Chief Adviser said.
The US diplomat said a number of senior US officials will visit Bangladesh in the next few months in an effort to cement ties between the two friendly nations.
Prof Yunus praised LaFave for her service as a top diplomat and appreciated her sincere efforts to advance Bangladesh-US relations at a crucial time.
"I am very proud to witness history," LaFave said as she recounted her memories of the student-led mass uprising in July-August.
The US Embassy Charge d'Affaires handed over a letter from Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Professor Yunus, said the chief adviser's press wing.
During the meeting, the acting US envoy told Professor Yunus that the US was expediting resettlement of the Rohingyas from Bangladesh to the North American nation.
Their talks also covered judicial reforms, South Asian electricity connectivity, counterterrorism, efforts to repatriate tens of billions of dollars stolen from Bangladesh during the dictatorship, reforms in civil bureaucracy, and labour issues.
LaFave said the US was already supporting Bangladesh with advice and other assistance to help recover the money and bring it back to Bangladesh.
Professor Yunus said his government was also committed to carrying out sweeping labour reforms.