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Published on October 29, 2025
Over the past two decades, Bangladesh’s two most powerful political dynasties have faced starkly different scrutiny when it comes to corruption. While Begum Khaleda Zia’s sons — Tarique Rahman and Arafat “Koko” Rahman — have been the subjects of internationally documented money-laundering cases, the current interim government under Dr Muhammad Yunus has yet to produce comparable evidence against Sheikh Hasina or her family despite repeated accusations.
Court documents, U.S. Department of Justice filings, and Singaporean forfeiture orders provide a rare paper trail confirming the illicit financial dealings of the BNP leaders’ sons — cases that have drawn cooperation from multiple foreign jurisdictions and resulted in recovered assets for Bangladesh.
Arafat “Koko” Rahman: The Case with a Foreign Paper Trail
The younger son of Khaleda Zia, Arafat Koko Rahman, became a central figure in Bangladesh’s most internationally recognized money-laundering case. According to U.S. Department of Justice filings, nearly $3 million linked to Koko was traced to Singaporean bank accounts that held bribes paid by Siemens Bangladesh in connection with a Chattogram port project.
“The Department of Justice filed a civil forfeiture action against several bank accounts in Singapore, which held nearly $3 million,” the [DOJ complaint (2012)] states. “The complaint alleged that these funds were the proceeds of bribes paid by Siemens Bangladesh to Arafat ‘Koko’ Rahman.”
The case led to a Singapore court order directing the return of Tk 80 million (about USD 9.3 million) to Bangladesh.
A 2013 report by The Financial Express confirmed the ruling:
“A Singapore court … ordered a consulting firm of the country to return to Bangladesh Tk 80 million … laundered by Koko through Fairhill Consulting Limited, a firm set up in Singapore when the BNP-led alliance was in power from 2001 to 2006.” — [Financial Express, August 28, 2013]
The World Bank’s Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative archives the case under “Rahman Returns Three Tranches,” documenting the recovery process and Bangladesh’s cooperation with Singaporean authorities through mutual legal assistance.
The Arafat Koko case remains one of the few Bangladeshi corruption cases with a verified international recovery — a rare combination of cross-border cooperation, legal documentation, and repatriated assets.
Tarique Rahman: Legal Battles Across Courts and Headlines
Elder brother Tarique Rahman, now the acting chairman of the BNP and based in London, has faced his own web of corruption allegations. According to case records, Tarique and business associate Gias Uddin Al Mamun laundered Tk 204 million to Singapore between 2003 and 2007.
After a lengthy legal battle, In 2016, the High Court overturned Tarique’s acquittal, sentencing him to seven years’ imprisonment and a Tk 20 crore fine, as reported by [The Daily Star (December 21, 2011)].
Among the 13 witnesses was FBI Agent Debra LaPrevotte, whose testimony about foreign bank transactions gave the case a rare international dimension.
The judgment described his actions as a “financial crime,” adding:
“Such money laundering using political connections hinders sustainable economic development of the country.” — Bangladesh High Court Judgment, 2016
The Anti-Corruption Commission’s counsel welcomed the ruling, saying,
“The court said that it’s now time to rethink these matters, as power and money laundering are linked.”
Yunus Regime’s Claims Against Sheikh Hasina: Thin on Evidence
Since taking power after the August 2024 regime change, the interim government of Dr Muhammad Yunus has launched multiple investigations targeting former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family, accusing them of illicit enrichment and abuse of power.
Yet, international observers note that the Yunus government has failed to produce verifiable documentation — such as foreign court rulings, asset forfeiture actions, or official cooperation requests — to substantiate those claims.
Major international media, including Reuters, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera, have reported on the Yunus administration’s politically charged anti-corruption drive, but no foreign jurisdiction has confirmed active cases involving assets of Hasina or her family members.
Unlike the Rahman brothers’ cases — which feature DOJ filings, Singapore court orders, and verified banking trails — the current allegations against the Awami League leadership remain largely confined to press statements and domestic political rhetoric.
Experts and Officials Speak Out
Former ACC investigator Khandaker Mahbub Hossain told reporters that the Koko case demonstrated what credible asset recovery requires:
“Foreign cooperation and verifiable banking trails make the difference between a political accusation and a proven corruption case.”
An official from the World Bank’s StAR program, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the Arafat Rahman case was “one of the clearest examples of successful cross-border asset recovery involving Bangladesh.”
By contrast, political analysts say the Yunus government’s approach resembles “accusation-first, evidence-later” politics.
Political commentator Dr. Shafiq Reza noted:
“If the Yunus administration truly had evidence against Sheikh Hasina’s family, we would have seen foreign filings by now. Asset recovery leaves a paper trail — and there’s none so far.”
The Weight of Documentation
Anti-corruption experts emphasize that international credibility depends on documentation, not declarations. A foreign forfeiture order, a civil filing, or a mutual legal assistance certificate carries legal weight that no political statement can replace.
By those standards, the Rahman brothers’ corruption cases are the only ones from Bangladesh’s political elite with internationally verifiable documentation.
The absence of similar evidence in the allegations against Sheikh Hasina’s family does not prove innocence, but it underscores how selective or politically motivated claims can lack legal substantiation.
Why It Matters
The credibility of Bangladesh’s anti-corruption efforts depends on consistency. When certain cases — like those of Arafat and Tarique Rahman — result in documented foreign recoveries, while others rely on unsubstantiated allegations, the public sees selective justice rather than systemic reform.
As the Yunus interim administration continues to accuse its political rivals of corruption, it faces growing pressure to produce evidence that meets the same international standards once applied to the sons of Khaleda Zia.
Without verifiable paper trails, experts warn, the regime’s anti-corruption drive risks being remembered not as reform — but as retribution.
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Key References (Public Sources):
U.S. Department of Justice Civil Forfeiture Complaint (2012)
World Bank / UNODC StAR Database – Rahman Returns Case )
The Daily Star, “Singapore to Return Koko’s Money,” August 28, 2013
The Daily Star, “Money Laundering Case Against Tarique,” December 21, 2011
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