Bangladesh Bank Heist: Probe Report Deadline Set for 2 July

A Dhaka court has set 2 July 2025 as the new deadline for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to submit its probe report on the 2016 Bangladesh Bank (BB) reserve heist, after the agency failed to deliver the report on 18 May 2025. Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Wahiduzzaman issued the order, marking the 79th delay in the investigation.

In February 2016, hackers stole $101 million from BB’s account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York via fraudulent SWIFT transactions. Of this, $81 million was transferred to four accounts at Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) in the Philippines, laundered through casinos, while a $20 million transfer to a Sri Lankan bank failed due to a spelling error. Bangladesh Bank recovered approximately $15 million from the Philippines. On 15 March 2016, BB Deputy Director Zobayer Bin Huda filed a case at Motijheel Police Station under the Money Laundering Act, Information and Communication Technology Act, and Penal Code.

The heist, one of the largest cybercrimes in history, exposed vulnerabilities in global financial systems. Investigations suggest the North Korea-linked Lazarus Group used Dridex malware, with possible involvement of Chinese intermediaries and BB insiders. Despite forensic tests on seized BB computers and international probes, including by the FBI, no arrests have been made, and recovery efforts have stalled.