United Kingdom Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has declined a meeting request from Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus, who is currently visiting London to rally international backing in his efforts to recover billions of dollars siphoned off by the ousted government of Sheikh Hasina, reports the Financial Times.
Yunus told the Financial Times that the United Kingdom has a “moral responsibility” to assist Bangladesh in tracing and retrieving these “stolen” funds, much of which he claims has been funnelled into the UK, according to a report published in the British daily on Wednesday.
However, he confirmed that Starmer has not agreed to meet with him so far.
“I have had no direct communication with him,” Yunus said, although he expressed confidence that Starmer would ultimately support Bangladesh’s mission.
Referring to the misappropriated money, he added: “This is stolen money.”
Officials from the UK government confirmed that there are currently no plans for a meeting between Starmer and Yunus, declining to provide further comments.
While Yunus acknowledged that the UK is already offering support in tracing the funds, he emphasized that Britain bears both a “legal and moral” duty to assist in the recovery process.
He described the goal of his visit as encouraging “more enthusiastic support” from the UK.
The Nobel laureate has been leading an interim government since Hasina’s administration was toppled by a student-led uprising last August.
The investigation into Hasina’s financial activities and those of the Awami League has, at times, put pressure on Starmer’s Labour Party in the UK, reports the Financial Times.
In January, then-anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddiq, Sheikh Hasina’s niece and a close political ally of Starmer, resigned after facing corruption allegations. These included claims of receiving material benefits, such as property, from individuals linked to the Awami League.
Tulip has denied any wrongdoing but stepped down from her ministerial position.
She remains a sitting MP and recently sent a letter to Yunus requesting a meeting in hopes of addressing what she called a “misunderstanding” being spread by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission.
Yunus told the newspaper that he would not meet her, stating: “This is a legal issue… a legal process.” He also clarified that it “is not personal involving me.”
Reflecting on Hasina’s 16-year rule, Yunus said she exploited her position to amass wealth for certain relatives and close associates. “There was a massive looting process,” he said.
Bangladeshi authorities estimate that roughly $234 billion was siphoned off during Hasina’s tenure, with the UK identified as a key destination for the diverted funds.
Yunus also listed Canada, Singapore, various Caribbean nations, and Middle Eastern countries as other locations where assets were allegedly transferred.
He described the trip to the UK as “just the beginning” and said he has plans for more visits in the future.
His administration is seeking cooperation from all corners of the UK—business sectors, financial institutions, law enforcement bodies, and intelligence agencies. “We need the support from the people of Great Britain,” Yunus said.
Yunus’s team added that they still hope for a meeting with the UK prime minister.
Last month, the UK’s National Crime Agency secured freezing orders on two London properties belonging to the son of a close associate of Hasina.