Staff Correspondent
Bangladesh Bank has launched an investigation after controversial videos allegedly involving AFM Shahinul Islam, chief of the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), went viral on social media. The central bank’s IT department is verifying the authenticity of these videos, with a report expected to be submitted to the governor by Tuesday (August 19). The controversy emerges amid existing scrutiny over Shahinul’s alleged role in permitting controversial transport owner Khondaker Enayet Ullah to withdraw Tk 19 crore from previously frozen accounts.
Frozen Account Controversy Deepens
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) uncovered that Enayet Ullah—former secretary-general of a transport owners’ association—reportedly extorted Tk 1.65 crore daily from bus routes. While the BFIU froze 50 accounts holding Tk 120 crore in November, Bank Al-Falah inexplicably unfroze four accounts in April, enabling the withdrawal. Despite a May 27 court order to refreeze the funds, only Tk 101 crore remains, raising suspicions of collusion. Shahinul defended the decision, claiming it was a routine business facilitation measure, but the ACC has demanded explanations.
Leadership Under Fire
Shahinul dismissed the viral videos as “fake and politically motivated,” though their spread from private WhatsApp groups to public platforms since August 14 has intensified criticism. His appointment in January itself was contentious, as the governor’s search committee had not recommended him—a move orchestrated by the Finance Ministry. The scandal echoes the August 2023 resignation of former BFIU chief Md Masud Biswas amid protests, casting fresh doubts about the institution’s integrity under its current leadership.