François Valérian, Chair of Transparency International’s international board, said on Thursday that while corruption in Bangladesh has decreased since the July uprising, it remains a persistent challenge requiring sustained reform and international cooperation.

Speaking at a press conference organised by Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) during his first visit to the country since assuming office in 2023, Valérian emphasised the urgency of tracking and repatriating laundered assets.

"Identifying where illicit funds have been moved and bringing them back is critical. This demands strong, coordinated efforts with relevant countries," he said, addressing journalists at a city hotel.

Valérian noted that while various reform initiatives are underway across key sectors, it is still too early to assess their long-term impact. "Corruption still exists in Bangladesh, but there are signs of decline following the political changes in July," he observed.

During his three-day visit, which began Tuesday, Valérian met with TIB leadership, presidents of 45 district-based Committees of Concerned Citizens (CCC), leaders of 65 Youth Engagement and Support (YES) platforms, as well as representatives from government, civil society, non-government organisations, and the media.

Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of TIB, highlighted recent preventive measures aimed at curbing money laundering, particularly through fraudulent loan schemes, which have helped reduce the outflow of illicit funds. He pointed to ongoing banking sector reforms but cautioned that enforcement remains weak.

"Prevention must be our top priority, because once money is laundered and moved abroad, recovery becomes extremely difficult," Dr Iftekharuzzaman said.

He revealed that in recent years, the volume of money laundered out of Bangladesh has exceeded twice the country’s annual inflows of foreign aid and investment, a staggering figure underscoring the scale of financial corruption.

Despite the challenges, there have been some successes. TIB cited the recent freezing of suspect assets in the United Kingdom as a positive step toward international asset recovery.

A respected academic and anti-corruption researcher, François Valérian has been a member of TI’s International Board since 2019 and has contributed to several of its key strategic committees before being elected Chair in 2023.

His visit underscores TI’s continued engagement with Bangladesh during a critical period of transition, as civil society and institutions work to strengthen transparency, accountability, and good governance across public and private sectors.

"Rebuilding public trust requires not only punishing past wrongs but also building systems that prevent corruption in the future," Valérian added. "The current moment offers a window of opportunity, but it must be acted upon decisively."