Attempt to deactivate BFIU again.

A group is trying to deactivate the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), which became active after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government. The group has already been able to appoint a beneficiary of the Awami League era as the head of the organization. In addition, previous officials who were transferred to other departments are being reinstated. According to multiple sources, such a malicious act has been started to prevent the investigation of fraud by Sheikh Hasina’s family and 10 business groups.

The sources say that the BFIU was largely deactivated during the Awami League government. An example of this is the report of the White Paper Preparation Committee formed by the interim government, which revealed that $16 billion was being laundered from the country every year during the Awami League government. The primary responsibility for looking after this laundering lies with the BFIU. But the organization was kept inactive at that time in various ways.

However, when the interim government took charge after the fall of Sheikh Hasina due to the student uprising, the head of the organization, Masud Biswas, resigned. Then the organization became active. It is led by the agency’s deputy head AKM Ehsan. Under his leadership, a report was prepared against the financial irregularities of the top 10 groups, including Sheikh Hasina’s family. Based on these reports, various agencies have already started investigation activities. In addition, about 15 thousand crore taka was seized from the bank accounts of 366 individuals and organizations between August and December last year on charges of money laundering.

Meanwhile, a group is suddenly trying to deactivate the BFIU. As part of this, on January 9, AFM Shahinul Islam, the deputy head of the BFIU during the Awami League government and former executive director of the central bank, was appointed as the head of the agency. He is controversial for various reasons. In addition, he has no experience working at the operational level of the agency. He has only eight months of experience working in the BFIU. Yet, there are allegations that he was appointed based on the demands of various groups. The investigation has been prolonged in various ways since his appointment, according to the officials concerned.

Several BFIU officials, who did not want to be named, said that the activities have stopped since the new head joined. In a meeting, he has already asked only to work on information if an organization asks for it. He has also instructed not to do any work on their own initiative. Apart from this, they also accused Chowdhury Nafiz Sarafat of delaying in submitting the intelligence report.

Meanwhile, AKM Ehsan was removed from the post of Deputy Head of BFIU last Tuesday. Bangladesh Bank Executive Director Kawsar Matin, who has no experience of working in BFIU before, was appointed in his place. Questions have been raised in various quarters about whose interest he was suddenly removed. It is alleged that a group conspired to stop the reporting of irregularities by various groups, including Sheikh Hasina’s family, and removed him.

When asked about this, Bangladesh Bank’s Deputy Governor in charge of Human Resources Department Zakir Hossain Chowdhury said, this has been done for the needs of the office. And the work on the groups that are ongoing will continue. It has not been done for any other reason. This is routine work. And his job hours are not much. The person who has been given more time has more time. Although the duties of many executive directors of Bangladesh Bank have not been changed as routine work. These include executive directors Saiful Islam and Md. Mejbaul Haque. Saiful Islam has been in the job for only about two months. He is in charge of the important banking regulations and policies department of the central bank. No changes have been made to his duties. Apart from this, Mejbaul Haque has been banned from going abroad for his involvement in reserve theft, he has been given all important departments.

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