BB governor to lead committee selecting new BFIU chief

Staff Reporter :

The government has formed a high-powered committee, led by the Bangladesh Bank governor, to recommend the appointment of a new chief for the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU).

According to a notification issued on Thursday by the Financial Institutions Division under the Ministry of Finance, the committee includes Financial Institutions Division Secretary Dr Mohammad Mohiuddin, Additional Secretary (Drafting) of the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Division, NKA Mobin, President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB), and Dr Mosaddek Hossain Kamal, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Dhaka.

The move comes in the wake of the controversial exit of former BFIU head AFM Shahinul Islam. His contractual tenure was cancelled on 9 September, less than a month after Bangladesh Bank had sent him on mandatory leave on 19 August.

The decision followed the circulation of a “compromising video” allegedly featuring him, which spread rapidly on WhatsApp, Messenger, and other social media platforms, triggering widespread criticism.

The central bank’s IT division has since been tasked with verifying the authenticity of the footage.
Shahinul Islam also faces allegations of misconduct, including approving the withdrawal of nearly Tk19 crore from a frozen bank account belonging to Ena Paribahan owner Khandaker Enayet Ullah.

The newly formed committee is expected to recommend a suitable candidate for the top BFIU post, a role critical in combating money laundering, terror financing, and ensuring transparency in the financial sector.