BFIU seeks bank account details of 12 journalists

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has requested information on the bank accounts of 12 journalists and their privately owned organisations.

The directive, issued on Monday, requires banks and financial institutions to submit relevant details within two working days.

The journalists under the scrutiny are Subhash Chandra Badal, former managing director of the Journalists' Welfare Trust, Arifur Rahman Dolan, editor of Dhaka Times, Nurul Islam Hasib, special correspondent of Bangladesh Post Dwip Azad, chief news editor of Nagorik TV, Abul Kalam Azad, former chief news editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), Md Omar Faruque, deputy chief news editor of BSS, Zafar Wazed, former director general of the Press Institute, Bangladesh, Hosne Ara Mamata Islam Soma, special correspondent of Channel I, Obaidul Kabir Molla, deputy editor of Daily Janakantha, Abed Khan, editor of Daily Jagoran, Ajay Das Gupta, freelance journalist and Syed Ishtiaque Reza, editor-in-chief of Global TV.

Banks and financial institutions have been instructed to provide key documents, including account opening forms, Know Your Customer (KYC) records, and transaction statements of the individuals and their organizations.

The directive explicitly says that any evidence of suspicious or unusual transactions, money laundering, or financial irregularities found in these accounts must be reported.

If the BFIU identifies irregularities in the summoned accounts, the information will be shared with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and other law enforcement agencies for further investigation.