Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has sought comprehensive information regarding all bank accounts held by controversial model Meghna Alam.
Letters were dispatched to all banks instructing them to submit relevant data on Sunday (20 April).
The BFIU directive mandates banks to provide Meghna Alam’s personal documents, including account opening forms, Know Your Customer (KYC) records, and transaction histories, within seven working days from the date of the letter.
The move comes amid an ongoing investigation following Meghna Alam’s detention by detectives from the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch on the night of 9 April. She was taken into custody from her residence in the capital’s Bashundhara area.
On 15 Aprill, Mohammad Abdul Alim, Inspector (Investigation) of Dhanmondi Model Police Station, filed a case against Meghna Alam, businessman Dewan Samir, and two to three unidentified individuals on charges of extortion and fraud.
According to the case statement, the accused demanded five million US dollars (approximately Tk 60 crore) from an unnamed foreign diplomat. The complaint alleges that a secret meeting took place on 29 March at a restaurant in Dhanmondi, attended by Meghna, Samir, and others. During the meeting, a decision was reportedly made to extract the money under false pretences. The complainant expressed concern that such activities could strain international relations.
Prior to this case, Samir had been arrested on 11 April in connection with another extortion case filed with Vatara Police Station.
Meghna Alam has claimed in court that her association was limited solely to the Saudi ambassador, a statement which has garnered considerable public and media attention.