The unit was founded as the Anti-Money Laundering Department of
Bangladesh Bank in June 2002. The name of the department was changed to Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit on 25 January 2012 through the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2012. Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering recommended the government to form the unit. In 2015, the government of Bangladesh announced plans to provide autonomy to the unit. In 2016, the Bangladesh Bank confirmed the unit has been made autonomous. In September 2021, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit sent letters to banks requesting the bank details of 11 elected journalist leaders from
Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists,
Dhaka Reporters Unity,
Dhaka Union of Journalists, and the
National Press Club. The move was condemned by the opposition
Bangladesh Nationalist Party who described it as an tactic to scare journalists. On 24 January 2022, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit sought account information of
Nobel Peace Prize winner
Muhammad Yunus, a political opponent of Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina. == References ==