Bank Accounts of 29 Individuals, Including 26 Journalists, Summoned
The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has summoned the bank account details of 29 individuals, including 26 journalists, and directed the suspension of transactions in these accounts. The instruction also applies to the accounts of businesses owned by these individuals, according to notices sent to relevant financial institutions.
On Sunday, November 24, senior BFIU officials confirmed the account summoning through two separate letters.
First Letter: Journalists and Media Personnel
The individuals named in the first letter include:
- Chowdhury Jafarullah Sharafat, Acting Editor of Dainik Bangla
- Shafiqur Rahman, Former President of the National Press Club
- Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Chief Editor of TV Today
- Sazzad Hossain Sabuj, Former Press Minister in Washington
- Naznin Munni, Assignment Editor at DBC News
- Ashish Ghosh Soikat, Chief News Editor at Independent TV
- Anjan Roy, Research Editor at Gazi TV
- Kamal Dey, Chittagong Bureau Chief of Somoy TV
- Abdul Gaffar Khan, Chief Editor of Daily Amar Shomoy
- Raju Ahmed, Former Narayanganj Correspondent of Jugantor
- Sanjib Chatterjee, Head of PR at EXIM Bank
All transactions in these accounts, including those of their privately owned businesses, will be suspended for 30 days, with the possibility of extension if necessary.
The directive also requires financial institutions to submit detailed account information—such as account opening forms, KYC documents, and transaction histories—within two working days from the date of the notice.
Second Letter: Additional Individuals
The second letter includes the following individuals:
- Quddus Afrad, President of the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ)
- Subhash Chandra Badal, Former Managing Director of the Bangladesh Journalist Welfare Trust
- Zulfikar Ali Manik, Bangladesh Correspondent for Dhaka Tribune and The New York Times
- Ashraful Alam Khokon, Former Deputy Press Secretary to the Prime Minister
- Masuda Bhatti, Senior Executive Editor of Daily Amader Orthoneeti
- Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Editor of The Daily Observer
- Md. Shahidul Ahsan, Former Director of DBC News
- Several directors of Dhaka Bangla Media & Communications Limited, including Rahanuma Ahsan, Mahbuba Helen, Shah Mohammad Shafiqul Ahsan, and Md. Salauddin Chowdhury
- Nurul Amin (Provash), News Chief at ATN News
- Mobashira Farzana Mithila, Counselor at Ekattor TV
- Swadesh Roy, Executive Editor of Daily Janakantha
- Ahmed Jobayer, Former Managing Director of Somoy TV
- Sabrina Mahjabin, Daughter of Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
The suspension and account summoning indicate increased scrutiny under BFIU’s anti-money laundering measures. The move reflects heightened oversight of financial transactions involving journalists and media professionals in Bangladesh.
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