BFIU chief faces BB probe over controversial viral videos

Business Report :

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has launched a probe over the viral online videos that show the central bank’s anti-money laundering unit chief in “an inappropriate situation.”

The IT sector of the central bank is checking the authenticity of the videos of AFM Shahinul Islam, chief of Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit.

The videos went viral across the social media on Monday, and the probe committee is set submit its report Tuesday.

The videos first surfaced on WhatsApp and Messenger on Thursday.
It is worth noting that Governor Ahsan H Mansur did not recommend Shahinul’s appointment in the search committee. The Finance Ministry appointed him anyway in January, sparking controversy.

The post had remained vacant since the ouster of former chief Masud Biswas in a major protest on 8 August last year.

Meanwhile, a group of Bangladesh Bank employees, under the banner of ‘Conscious and patriotic employees’, has submitted a memorandum to the governor, urging disciplinary action against Shahinul Islam.

The memorandum, submitted on Tuesday, states that the viral videos have severely damaged the image of the state and the institution. It also highlights the ACC’s discovery that Islam allegedly allowed the illegal withdrawal of Tk 190 million from Khandaker Enayet Ullah’s frozen bank accounts.

The memo further notes that Shahinul was appointed as the BFIU chief despite not being on the search committee’s list, an appointment they describe as ‘unfortunate’.

The employees demanded that Shahinul be sent on immediate mandatory leave with an urgent investigation to take action against him.

They also called for a quick review and implementation of decisions on appointments made on political and partisan grounds before 5 August 2024.

The employees emphasized that these demands are crucial for maintaining discipline in the country’s financial sector and preserving public trust.