Bangladesh makes history with first recovery of laundered cryptocurrency

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police has made a landmark achievement by recovering cryptocurrency laundered abroad for the first time in the country’s history.

The Cyber Police Center (CPC) of CID successfully brought back digital assets worth over Tk 44 crore (approximately USD 3.6 million) on March 30, 2026, reports BSS, citing a CID press release.

The funds had been siphoned off through a fraudulent online investment platform named Metaverse Foreign Exchange (MTFE). The achievement has drawn widespread acclaim both domestically and internationally.

The United States Embassy in Dhaka highlighted the success on its verified Facebook page, describing it as a positive outcome of the growing partnership between Bangladesh and the United States.

The U.S. Secret Service also acknowledged the recovery in a separate post, crediting longstanding cooperation and joint training initiatives with CID.

As a gesture of appreciation for international support during the recovery process, the CPC, on behalf of the CID chief, presented an appreciation letter to the US Ambassador.

Speaking on the matter, CPC’s Deputy Inspector General Md. Abul Bashar Talukder said the recovery marked the first instance of repatriating laundered cryptocurrency from abroad.

“This success reflects the growing capability and expertise of Bangladesh in tackling cybercrime.

The positive response at home and abroad will further inspire all to carry out their duties with greater dedication, he added.

Investigations revealed that MTFE was a fraudulent cryptocurrency and forex trading platform that lured investors by displaying fabricated profit data.

The platform abruptly shut down in mid-2023, transferring investors’ funds to multiple cryptocurrency wallets.

During the probe, CID identified approximately USD 3.6 million worth of USDT in an international

cryptocurrency exchange. The funds were frozen using advanced blockchain analysis and international cooperation.

Following a court order and assistance from a UK-based asset recovery firm, the assets were converted into fiat currency and deposited into a government account at Sonali Bank.

Officials said the case remains under investigation by the CPC unit, with efforts ongoing to uncover further details and recover additional laundered funds.

Authorities also aim to identify victims and submit a report to the court soon, after which steps will be taken to return the recovered money to affected investors in accordance with legal procedures.

The success underscores CID’s professionalism, technological capability, and integrity, while

reinforcing international confidence in Bangladesh’s law enforcement agencies.