Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H Mansur on Wednesday said recovering money laundered abroad is a lengthy legal process that typically takes four to five years, ruling out the possibility of faster returns.

Speaking to journalists after a meeting with Finance Adviser Dr Salahuddin Ahmed at the Secretariat, the governor said notable progress has been made in efforts to bring back siphoned-off funds and stressed that the government is fully committed to the process.

However, he cautioned against unrealistic expectations, saying, “We must accept the reality that recovering money from overseas takes four to five years. It cannot be done in a shorter time.”

Dr Mansur said the authorities would be “very fortunate” if the London-based case involving Saifuzzaman Chowdhury is resolved quickly, noting that the defendants did not contest the case and are therefore likely to lose.

He added that most other cases depend on formal applications and lengthy legal proceedings abroad, limiting the government’s ability to speed up the process.

Commenting on S Alam Group, the governor said the conglomerate has filed an arbitration claim against Bangladesh in Washington.

“Those who are guilty often shout the loudest,” he remarked, adding that the government would contest the case vigorously.