By the time Sheikh Hasina was forced into exile following a student-led uprising, hundreds of anti-government protesters in Bangladesh had already been killed by her regime’s security forces. Nearly a year after her ouster, a fragile interim government is still grappling with political infighting and an ailing economy. But while the streets of Dhaka remain politically volatile, some of the drama has shifted nearly 8,000 kilometres away—to the leafy lanes of London and Surrey.According to a joint investigation by The Guardian and Transparency International, luxury real estate in the UK is emerging as a central flashpoint in Bangladesh’s efforts to track and reclaim wealth allegedly looted under Hasina’s rule. Several former ministers, politically connected business families, and their associates are now under scrutiny for laundering hundreds of crores of taka through property acquisitions in Britain.UK mansions, political corruption, and a global trail of moneyIn May, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA)—widely regarded as Britain’s version of the FBI—froze £90 million worth of UK property owned by members of the Rahman family, a powerful business clan previously exposed by The Guardian. Three weeks later, a much bigger haul was blocked: over £170 million worth of assets belonging to Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, the former land minister in Hasina’s government, were frozen. Chowdhury reportedly amassed a property empire of over 300 homes in the UK, spanning from modest flats to sprawling Knightsbridge townhouses.“Measures to block transactions give us hope of following due process to repatriate assets,” Ahsan Mansur, the Bangladesh central bank governor heading asset recovery efforts, told The Guardian. He urged the UK government to consider additional freezing orders, citing ongoing efforts by suspects to liquidate or shift their property holdings.The head of Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Mohammad Abdul Momen, echoed that plea. He confirmed having asked the NCA to freeze more properties owned by individuals implicated in the alleged corruption ring.Allegations, asset sales, and dubious transfersThe investigation reveals that several suspects have attempted to either sell, refinance, or shift ownership of valuable London properties since the revolution. In total, at least 20 applications for property transactions—typically indicating sales, transfers, or new mortgages—have been filed with the UK Land Registry for assets connected to individuals under investigation in Dhaka.Among the most striking cases is that of the Sobhan family, the billionaire dynasty behind the Bashundhara conglomerate. Their holdings include a four-storey Knightsbridge townhouse that changed hands twice in quick succession. Initially transferred—apparently without payment—to a company owned by a director at Orbis London, a real estate advisory firm, it was then sold for £7.35 million to another UK shell firm. The new owner is listed as an accountant with no visible online footprint but linked to several other high-value UK properties, the report mentioned.Story continues below this adTwo additional applications for dealing relate to properties owned by Shafiat Sobhan, including an £8 million Surrey mansion. The family has denied all allegations of wrongdoing.Meanwhile, the ACC has also turned its focus to Saifuzzaman Chowdhury’s brother, Anisuzzaman, and a UK-based property developer with Bangladeshi roots. Land Registry data shows Anisuzzaman recently sold a £10 million Georgian townhouse near Regent’s Park and refinanced three other properties. His lawyers told The Guardian the sales were arranged before the political upheaval and that there was no legitimate reason for any asset freeze.Even as the Rahmans’ £90 million worth of UK properties were frozen, fresh scrutiny fell on the next generation. The son and nephew of Salman F Rahman, who helms Beximco—one of Bangladesh’s largest business groups—are also under investigation by the ACC.According to The Guardian, Ahmed Shayan Rahman and Ahmed Shahryar Rahman are linked to several London properties, including a £35 million apartment in Mayfair’s prestigious Grosvenor Square. All of these have since been frozen by the NCA.Story continues below this adRahman family lawyers dismissed the allegations, attributing them to “political upheaval” and asserting their willingness to cooperate with UK authorities.The UK’s role under scrutinyAs the NCA begins to act on Bangladesh’s asset-freezing requests, critics argue that the UK’s own financial system and legal professionals have enabled suspicious deals for far too long. Transparency International has flagged multiple law firms and consultancies that continued to handle high-value transactions for suspects now under investigation.Law firm Jaswal Johnston, for instance, submitted applications on Rahman-owned properties. The firm stated it took its due diligence responsibilities “extremely seriously”. Another firm, Merali Beedle, which filed documents for both Rahman and Sobhan-linked properties, declined to comment.“Professional services firms should exercise extreme caution when conducting regulated activities for clients known to be under investigation,” said a Transparency International spokesperson. “Without swift action, these funds risk vanishing into the international financial system, potentially placing them beyond recovery.”Story continues below this adJoe Powell, a UK Labour MP who chairs an all-party parliamentary group on corruption and tax justice, told The Guardian: “History tells us that assets can quickly evaporate unless swift steps are taken to freeze those assets while investigations are under way.”