BFIU seeks Salman Muqtadir’s bank account details

The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has sought information on the bank accounts and transaction records of Salman Mohammad Muqtadir, a well-known figure on social media.

In an email sent to various banks across the country, the BFIU asked for details of Salman Muqtadir’s accounts, account opening forms (AOFs), know-your-customer (KYC) information and account statements.

The email, sent at 10.38 am on 30 September, named Salman Mohammad Muqtadir and instructed the relevant banks to provide the information on an urgent basis. It also stated that the request was of high priority.

In the message, the BFIU asked the banks to provide soft copies of the KYC documents and account statements for accounts held in Salman Muqtadir’s name. They were also instructed to enter all account-related information in an attached Excel file, including details of interest income and tax deducted at source (TDS) for each identified account, and return the completed file.

The banks were instructed to send the information through the GoAML message board within one hour. The message also cited a relevant provision of a BFIU circular and instructed the banks to maintain the confidentiality of the information.

The BFIU sent the request to various banks across the country. The recipient list included several state-owned, private and foreign banks.

There has recently been widespread discussion on social media following an attack and vandalism at the office of content creator Salman Mohammad Muqtadir. A group of assailants reportedly entered his office and vandalised various items.

The attack took place at around 10.30 pm last Saturday at Salman Muqtadir’s office, located at New Gini Properties in the capital’s ECB Chattar.

Later that night, Salman Muqtadir posted a video in which he was heard saying, “This video is made especially for our Home Minister, Salahuddin Ahmed. Please don’t take any tension. This is normal in Bangladesh.”

Following the incident, Salman Muqtadir initially alleged that people affiliated with ruling BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) had demanded extortion money from him, although he later said that no such demand had actually been made.

Against this backdrop, the Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman said he hoped Salman Muqtadir and others with substantial public profiles and viral popularity would act more responsibly in future.