The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has summoned the bank accounts of 29 people, including 26 journalists, in the country. At the same time, instructions have been given to freeze the bank accounts of their private institutions. The agency has sent instructions to the institutions in this regard.
On Sunday (November 24), several senior officials of the BFIU confirmed the summons through two separate letters.
According to the first letter, those whose accounts have been summoned are: Dainik Bangla Acting Editor Chowdhury Zafrullah Sharafat, former President of the National Press Club Shafiqur Rahman, TV Today Editor-in-Chief Manjurul Ahsan Bulbul, former Washington Press Minister Sajjad Hossain Sabuj, DBC News Assignment Editor Nazneen Munni, Independent TV Chief News Editor Ashish Ghosh Saikat, Gazi TV Editor (Research) Anjan Roy, Somoy TV Chattogram Bureau Chief Kamal Dey, Dainik Amar Somoy Chief Editor Abdul Gaffar Khan, Jugantor's former Narayanganj correspondent Raju Ahmed and Exim Bank Head of PRO Sanjeev Chatterjee.
All transactions of the individuals and their personal and business accounts will be suspended for the next 30 days. If necessary, this period of suspension of transactions will be extended.
The BFIU's instructions also state that the accounts of the summoned accounts, including account opening forms, KYC and transaction details, must be sent to the BFIU within two working days from the date of the letter.
The other individuals summoned according to the letter are Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) President Quddus Afrad, former Managing Director of Bangladesh Journalists Welfare Trust Subhash Chandra Badal, Dhaka Tribune and New York Times Bangladesh correspondent Zulfikar Ali Manik, former Deputy Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Ashraful Alam Khokon, Senior Executive Editor of Dainik Amader Arthaniti Masuda Bhatti, Editor of The Daily Observer Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, former Director of DBC News Md. Shahidul Ahsan Chairman, Dhaka Bangla Media and Communications Limited Director Rahnuma Ahsan, ATN News Head Nurul Amin (Pravas), Dhaka Bangla Media and Communications Limited Director Mahbuba Helen, Dhaka Bangla Media and Communications Limited Director Shah Mohammad Shafiqul Ahsan, Dhaka Bangla Media and Communications Limited Director Md. Salauddin Chowdhury, Ekattor TV Counselor Mobashwira Farzana Mithila, Dainik Janakantha Executive Editor Swadesh Roy, former Somoy TV Managing Director Ahmed Jobayer and Sabrina Mahjabin, daughter of Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury.