BFIU summons bank account details of 12 journos

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU), the financial intelligence agency of the central bank, has summoned the bank account details of 12 journalists, including editors of multiple news outlets.

The agency, in a recent directive, also sought information from institutions concerned on bank accounts of organisations the 12 journalists own, a BFIU official familiar with the matter confirmed to The Business Standard today (30 December).

The journalists are– Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust's former managing director Subhash Chandra Badal; Dhaka Times Editor Arifur Rahman Dolan; Bangladesh Post's Special Correspondent Nurul Islam Habib; Nagorik TV's Head of News Dip Azad; Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha's ex-managing director Abul Kalam Azad and Deputy Chief News Editor Md Omar Faruq; Press Institute of Bangladesh's ex-director general Zafar Wazed; Channel i Special Correspondent Hosne Ara Mamata Islam Soma; Daily Janakantha's Deputy Editor Obaidul Kabir Molla; daily Jagaran Editor Abed Khan; freelance journalist Ajay Das Gupta; and Global TV Chief Editor Syed Ishtiaq Reza.

The BFIU directive states that banks and financial institutions have been asked to send relevant information or documents such as account opening forms, KYCs, transaction statements etc to the BFIU within two working days from the date of issue of the letter.

If the BFIU finds any evidence of suspicious or unusual transactions or money laundering or irregularities in the subpoenaed and seized accounts, the agency will allow the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and law enforcement agencies to investigate these accounts.