Repatriating stolen money is hard, but doable: US Charge dáffaires

US Charge dáffaires Helen LaFave said repatriating stolen money is hard, but it was doable.

She also said that the US was already supporting Bangladesh with advice and other assistance to help recover the money and bring it back to Bangladesh.

LaFave said this on Thursday while paying a farewell call on chief adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus at his office in Tejgaon, Dhaka, stated a press release of the chief adviser's press wing.

In response to that the chief adviser said, "We will definitely make it happen."

During the meeting, the acting US envoy told Dr Yunus that the US was expediting resettlement of the Rohingyas from the Bangladesh camp 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.

Professor Yunus said his government was also committed to carrying out sweeping labour reforms.

The chief adviser 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," Helen LaFave said as she recounted her memories during the student-led mass uprising in July-August. The US Charge d'Affaires at the time handed over a letter from Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Dr Yunus.

She said a number of senior US officials would visit Bangladesh in the next few months in an effort to cement ties between the two friendly nations.