PBI Investigation Details Alleged Crimes by Scholarship Recipients; Major Humanitarian Project Terminated and International Escalation Underway
An official investigation conducted by the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) of Bangladesh has identified serious allegations of criminal misconduct connected to an international scholarship and humanitarian organization, according to a report formally submitted to the appropriate court for judicial review.
According to the PBI investigation report, Shahed Anwar Shadhin, a college student of Adamjee Cantonment College, and Samia Islam Farzana, a college student of Government Titumir College, have been identified in connection with alleged offenses including fraud, criminal breach of trust, forgery, misuse of digital systems, and cyber-related financial crimes. The findings are based on documentary evidence, bank transaction records, digital forensic analysis, and witness testimony examined during the investigation.
The report confirms that both individuals were scholarship recipients and work-study program employees of the Shaker International Scholarship Programs (SISP), an international organization established to support Bangladeshi students and underprivileged communities through education and humanitarian assistance. Their roles placed them in positions of trust with access to organizational systems and resources.
According to the organization, the alleged actions caused extraordinary damage, extending beyond financial loss to include severe institutional, operational, and humanitarian harm. International partners and affiliated entities were reportedly impacted, with losses described as multi-million-dollar in scale, alongside the destruction of digital infrastructure and long-term reputational damage.
As a direct result of the alleged crimes, and of the actions of individuals alleged to have supported or enabled them, SISP has permanently terminated its largest humanitarian initiative in Bangladesh, “Operation Bangladesh.” The organization has stated that the project—designed to support vulnerable families and students at scale—has been formally discontinued in Bangladesh and is now being considered for relocation to another country.
Legal representatives for the organization state that, based on the evidence documented in this single PBI case and the applicable provisions of Bangladeshi criminal and cybercrime law, legal experts estimate potential cumulative prison exposure in the range of approximately 10 to 15 years per individual if the allegations are proven in court. This estimate reflects only one confirmed investigative file currently before the judiciary.
In addition, four further legal actions are being prepared by SISP and its international partners against the same individuals and related parties, to be pursued separately in Bangladesh and the United States. The organization has further indicated that prolonged lack of timely accountability over a period of six to eight months necessitated preparation for escalation to U.S. federal authorities, including anticipated engagement with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other relevant agencies.
All accused individuals remain entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence until final judicial determination