Five-member panel formed to appoint new BFIU chief

The government has formed a five-member selection committee, headed by Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur, to recommend the next chief officer of the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU).

The announcement was made through an official notification issued by the Financial Institutions Division (FID) today, in line with Rule 22(7) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Rules, 2019.

The selection panel comprises the governor of Bangladesh Bank as the chairman; the secretary of the Financial Institutions Division, Ministry of Finance; Mohammad Mohiuddin, additional secretary (drafting), Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division, Ministry of Law; NKA Mobin FCA, president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB); and Dr Mosaddek Hossain Kamal, professor at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Dhaka, all serving as members.

The formation of the committee follows the government's decision to terminate the appointment of AFM Shahinul Islam, the former head of the BFIU, based on the findings of a probe panel formed to investigate the authenticity of a controversial image/video involving Islam.

According to a notice issued by the FID, the remaining tenure of Islam's contractual appointment has been cancelled with immediate effect, in line with Article 7 of the agreement signed with him.

Earlier, on August 21 this year, the FID had formed a four-member inquiry committee to examine the viral image/video circulating on social media.

The panel submitted its report, following which the decision was made.

Islam had been on forced leave since September 9.