After nearly a decade of investigation, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is preparing to submit a formal charge-sheet in the Bangladesh Bank (BB) reserve heist case, one of the largest financial cyber thefts in the country’s history.
The upcoming charge-sheet names 64 suspects, including both Bangladeshi and foreign individuals and institutions, according to reports. Among those listed are 10 Bangladeshi nationals, including former Bangladesh Bank governor Atiur Rahman, the report says.
Investigators have also identified individuals and organisations linked to countries such as the Philippines, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, India and North Korea in connection with the case.
CID’s Additional Special Superintendent of Police (Financial Crime) Al Mamun confirmed that the investigation has been completed. “Our investigation is complete; we have no more work left on that front. We hope to be able to file a charge-sheet in court soon,” he said. He added that a draft chargesheet has already been prepared based on collected evidence and has been sent to the Attorney General’s Office for legal vetting.
The case stems from the 5 February 2016 cyber heist, when around $101 million was stolen from the BB’s account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York using 35 fraudulent SWIFT payment instructions. Of the stolen funds, about $81 million was reportedly transferred to the Philippines.
Authorities believe the operation involved an international criminal network with possible local assistance. A case was later filed on 15 March 2016 with Dhaka’s Motijheel Police Station by then BB official Zubair bin Huda under money laundering-related concerns.
Although the CID has led the investigation since the beginning, the submission of its report was delayed multiple times over the years, with court proceedings being postponed repeatedly.
Officials said the draft charge-sheet is supported by extensive evidence, including forensic reports, international MLAR documents from the Philippines, FBI findings, records from Japan and India, SWIFT transaction data, and witness statements. The full case dossier reportedly spans around 10,000 pages.
Once the Attorney General’s Office provides approval, the chargesheet will be formally submitted to court, marking a major step forward in the long-running case.
