The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has asked all banks in the country to provide complete financial records of model Meghna Alam. The agency on Sunday issued formal letters to financial institutions seeking the information, sources concerned said.
The BFIU letter instructs banks to submit Meghna Alam’s personal documents, including account opening forms, KYC details, and transaction history within seven working days from the date of issuance.
Meghna Alam was controversially detained by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police on the night of April 9 from her residence in the capital’s Bashundhara area.
A case was filed with Dhanmondi Model Police Station on April 15 against Meghna Alam, businessman Dewan Samir, and two to three unidentified individuals on charges of extortion and fraud.
According to the case statement, Meghna Alam, Dewan Samir, and the others demanded five million dollars (approximately BDT 60 crore) from an unnamed foreign diplomat. Although the diplomat’s identity has not been disclosed in the First Information Report (FIR), it states that the demand was made during a secret meeting at a restaurant in Dhaka’s Dhanmondi area on March 29. Meghna, Samir, and several others were present at the meeting, where they allegedly conspired to extract the money through deception.
The complaint further notes that such actions could potentially damage Bangladesh’s international relations.
Earlier, on April 11, Dewan Samir was arrested in a separate extortion case filed with Vatara Police Station.
Meghna had been given a 30-day detention order under controversial Special Powers Act. Amidst criticism, she was later shown arrested in the extortion case.