The government on Tuesday cancelled appointment of Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit chief AFM Shahinul Islam over moral lapses, after multiple objectionable videos of him went viral on social media.
An investigation committee, formed on August 20, confirmed the authenticity of the videos and submitted its report to finance adviser on Monday, recommending Shahinul鈥檚 removal.
The Bangladesh Bank had earlier placed him on leave pending the probe.
On January 9 this year, Shahinul, former executive director of the BB, was appointed as head of the BFIU for two years.
The scandal first surfaced on August 14 through WhatsApp and Messenger, before spreading widely on social media on August 18.
Although Shahinul insisted the clips were fabricated, an initial fact-check by the central bank found them genuine.
The footage drew heavy criticism inside the Bangladesh Bank and beyond, with intelligence agencies launching inquiries and a group of BB officials demanding his immediate dismissal.
On August 20, the government formed a four-member committee led by Financial Institutions Division additional secretary Said Kutub.
The committee was given seven working days, later extended by a week, to submit its findings.
Meanwhile, the BFIU itself launched a financial inquiry into Shahinul and his family鈥檚 accounts to detect unusual transactions.
Officials said that the initial probe examined two accounts at Dutch-Bangla Bank belonging to Shahinul and his wife, Suma Islam. Records showed that on May 12, a man named Mizanur Rahman deposited Tk 23 lakh in cash into Shahinul鈥檚 account.
Earlier, on May 4 and 5, the same person deposited Tk 15 lakh and Tk 5 lakh in cash into Suma鈥檚 account.
Investigators have submitted these findings to the Bangladesh Bank鈥檚 senior management for further instructions.
Shahinul has also faced allegations of abusing his authority, including allowing withdrawal of Tk 19 crore after freezing Ena Transport鈥檚 account and interfering in a written-off loan of a private bank.
