Read the notice carefully to identify the allegation, the legal power used, the person or documents sought and the deadline. Do not ignore it, and do not respond informally or in haste. Secure the documents the notice refers to and suspend routine deletion of relevant records. Then take advice before anyone attends or produces material, because what is said or provided at this stage can shape the entire financial crime inquiry. We review the notice, contact the investigating officer where appropriate, prepare the client and any witnesses, and attend to support them where the procedure allows legal representation.

The BFIU can suspend or freeze accounts for limited periods under the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012, and longer restraints usually require a court order obtained by an investigating agency. The first step is to confirm who imposed the freeze, under which power and for how long. We then make representations to the BFIU or the investigating agency, provide documents that explain the transactions, and where appropriate apply to court for release or variation. In many cases the immediate goal is a partial release for salaries, taxes and essential payments while the financial crime investigation continues.

Yes, and it is common. The ACC, the police, the BFIU, Bangladesh Bank, the BSEC and the tax authorities may each have an interest in the same transactions, from different legal angles. They can share information, and statements or documents given to one agency may reach another. We map the agencies involved and their powers, coordinate responses so that the company's explanation is accurate and consistent across them, and advise on the order in which matters should be addressed, so that resolving one inquiry does not create new exposure in another.

Usually, yes, but it should be planned carefully. An internal investigation helps the board understand the facts, decide on remediation and disciplinary action, and respond credibly to regulators. It should have a clear scope and terms of reference, a reporting line to the board or an independent committee, proper document preservation and careful interview procedures. Findings and drafts can later be sought by investigating agencies, so the structure of the work matters. We design investigations with these risks in mind, work with forensic accountants, and advise on how and when findings should be shared with the authorities.

Yes. Many Bangladeshi statutes, including the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2012, contain provisions under which offences committed by a company can be attributed to its directors, officers and managers, unless they show that the offence occurred without their knowledge or that they exercised due diligence. Directors of banks and finance companies face particular scrutiny over loan approvals and related party exposures. Travel restrictions and asset restraints may also be sought against individuals. We advise directors on their personal position, separate representation where interests diverge from the company's, and steps that support a due diligence defence. Records of board deliberations help.

If the investigating agency files a charge sheet and the court takes cognisance, the matter proceeds to trial, usually before a Special Judge's court for money laundering and corruption offences. Bail, interim relief and challenges to the proceedings become central. In appropriate cases, the High Court Division can quash proceedings that are an abuse of process or disclose no offence. We handle bail applications, quashing petitions, trial defence and appeals, and coordinate the criminal case with any parallel regulatory proceedings, civil claims and financial crime remediation steps. Witness lists and document sets should be prepared well before trial dates.

Foreign banks often review relationships when they learn of an investigation, whether through media coverage, information requests or their own screening. They may request explanations, restrict transactions, close accounts or file reports with their own authorities. Their decisions are governed by their own law and policies, not Bangladeshi procedure. A clear, accurate and consistent explanation, supported by documents, can sometimes preserve the relationship. We help clients prepare those explanations and coordinate with counsel abroad, so that what is said to foreign banks matches what is said in the Bangladeshi financial crime proceedings.

Yes. Victims of financial crime, such as fraud, embezzlement or loan fraud, can file complaints that lead to investigation, and investigating agencies and courts can freeze and confiscate assets. Criminal proceedings alone, however, rarely return money quickly, so victims usually combine them with civil claims, attachment orders and, where assets are abroad, proceedings in foreign courts. The Commercial Courts Act 2026 may also affect how some commercial recovery claims are heard. We design recovery strategies that use criminal, civil and cross-border tools together, and coordinate with forensic accountants to trace funds through Bangladeshi and foreign accounts.