Written by The Banking Post
Fact-checking platform BanglaFact and the Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) have debunked a widely circulated claim that nearly $20 billion was laundered from Bangladesh in the past 10 months—calling it misleading and taken out of context.
The false claim gained traction on social media after confusing headlines from two mainstream dailies—Kaler Kantho and Bangladesh Pratidin—misrepresented a recent statement from Bangladesh Bank.
According to BanglaFact’s investigation, the misleading narrative originated from reports citing Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H. Mansur, who said in a financial intelligence report that around $18–20 billion may have been laundered during the entire tenure of the Awami League government. Additionally, the report noted that over 27,000 suspicious transactions were detected in the past 10 months—but did not link the full amount to this short period.
However, headlines in both newspapers conflated the two separate figures, publishing versions that implied the entire $20 billion had been laundered in just 10 months. This misrepresentation quickly spread across digital platforms, fueling speculation and criticism.
Though the body content of the original articles accurately detailed the context, BanglaFact confirmed that the misleading headlines led to widespread misunderstanding. Both newspapers have since revised their headlines following public scrutiny.
The PIB media analysis team also criticized the misleading framing, urging newsrooms to exercise caution in reporting on financial and governance issues. They emphasized that sensational headlines without proper context can mislead readers and damage economic credibility.
BanglaFact and PIB advised the public and media professionals to verify such claims with official sources and be wary of viral content that lacks context.
