Rise of Extortion and Financial Irregularities Among Coordinators

Barely a year has passed since the July Movement emerged, and now, serious allegations—including extortion and illicit financial dealings—are surfacing against several of its key leaders.

The controversy was reignited after a live Facebook statement by Umama Fatema, the former spokesperson of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, where she alleged that July had been turned into a “money-making machine.” Before the dust settled, fresh accusations emerged against Mahfuz Alam, Adviser to the Interim Government for Information and Broadcasting, and his brother, involving financial transactions worth approximately ৳6.5 crore in Sydney, Australia.

Mahfuz Alam responded to these allegations via a post on his verified Facebook page, describing them as part of a “conspiracy.”

Timeline of Allegations and Actions

Statements and Rebuttals

Mahfuz Alam, in response to the accusations, wrote on Facebook:

“A friend introduced someone to my brother. They proposed a percentage for completing a BTV tender and supporting some international events in July. Upon learning this, I strongly forbade such dealings.”

He further alleged:

“Many are now targeting me because their own influence is waning. Some powerful individuals from a new political party are involved.”

His brother, Mahbub Alam Mahi, also shared six months of personal financial records to counter the transparency concerns.

Meanwhile, Umama Fatema, in her viral Facebook Live, expressed:

“All major decisions of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement were taken at Hair Road [advisers’ residence]. When I became spokesperson, I realised people were using this platform for various gains. I had never thought movements could be monetised. Unfortunately, that is what happened.”

Voices of Concern Within Political Circles

During a recent rally in Mymensingh, Hasnat Abdullah of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) stated:

“It’s tragic that people are using the NCP banner for extortion. We won’t tolerate this behaviour, especially from those claiming to usher in new politics.”

Just a day earlier, five individuals—including members of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the Democratic Student Parliament—were arrested from Gulshan over extortion allegations.

Organisational Measures Taken

NCP and related movements claim they are taking immediate action whenever such issues surface:

Analysts Blame Interim Government’s Passivity

Criticism is also directed at the Interim Government, which came to power under Nobel Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus in August last year. The student-led uprising that installed the government saw many protest leaders absorbed into official roles—both as advisers and ministry representatives.

While this inclusion was initially praised, growing allegations of corruption and extortion among those appointed are raising questions.

Dr. Asif Mohammad Shahan, Professor of Development Studies at Dhaka University, commented:

“The government has been hesitant to take firm action from the outset. Though these leaders rose with ideals, they seem to have struggled with the power vacuum post-transition and misused their new authority.”

He added:

“Some coordinators exploited the lack of accountability. The organisations failed to adequately monitor their own activists.”

Concerns from Academia

Dr. Siddiqur Rahman Khan, a prominent academic and political analyst, lamented:

“We hoped these new political actors would transform our culture, but in many cases, they’ve fallen into the same traps.”

However, he emphasised:

“We shouldn’t blame entire organisations for the actions of a few. It’s often personal ambition that leads to wrongdoing.”

Nonetheless, he held the government accountable for its inadequate response:

“Many parties are taking internal action against their members, but the duty of legal enforcement lies with the government. That’s where we see the biggest shortfall.”

Source: BBC Bengali