might have been arrested, says home minister

Where is Zoha?

Family alleges abduction; police keep mum, refuse to accept complaint

IT expert Tanvir Hasan Zoha, who was reportedly involved in the investigation of the cyber heist at the Bangladesh Bank, has been missing since early Thursday. According to family members, Zoha remains missing after they talked to him around 12:15am Thursday. However, they alleged that the police are yet to accept any complaint from them in connection with the incident. Zoha’s family members claimed they went to several police stations as per the advice of the law enforcers since 1am Thursday but none of those stations agreed to file any complaint.
They primarily went to Kalabagan Police Station to inform police soon after they came to know the incident.  However, Kalabagan police told them that the area of the incident was under Kafrul Police Station. But when Zoha’s family members went to Kafrul Police Station, they were sent to Cantonment Police Station. Later, the cantonment police sent them to Bhasantek Police Station where the law enforcers told them that the area of the incident was not under their jurisdiction.  Failing to lodge any complaint over the issue, Zoha’s family members were compelled to return to their home. Zoha's wife demanded her husband be returned safe and sound.
After the heist of $101 million from the Bangladesh Bank (BB) account, that came to light on February 29, Tanvir Hasan Zoha gave expert’s opinion to a number of print and electronic media outlets over the matter.
Zoha told the media that ‘payment advices’ were given to the Federal Reserve Bank by using the SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) code after it was hacked.
One newspaper quoted him as saying, “Analysing primary database, we got evidence that the hacking took place from inside the country. Now we are checking how it happened from the local server.”
The media reports identified Zoha as the ICT Division’s cyber security specialist. However, the ICT Division, in a statement, denied any link with Zoha. The ICT Division also said it had not formed any committee to probe the fund heist.
Zoha, however, refuted the ICT division claim and said that he has been working for the government under different capacities, and helped the law enforcing agencies in several investigations.
Although Zoha’s family has claimed that he might have been abducted near the army intelligence DGFI office in Kachukhet area of the capital around 12:15am Thursday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said that the IT expert might have been arrested by any of the law enforcing agencies.
“Zoha might have been arrested for the sake of the investigation, but I am not sure about it,” he said yesterday afternoon.
Asked about the home minister’s comment regarding Zoha, Bangladesh Bar Council Vice Chairman Advocate Abdul Baset Majumder told The Independent that the police can arrest anyone on suspicion, but they must follow some procedure.
“Police must produce the arrestee before the court within 24 hours of his/her arrest as the law does not allow the police to keep the arrestee under their custody over 24-hour from the time of arrest,” Majumder said.
“If the police arrest anyone on the basis of suspicion, then police must inform the family members of the arrestee without any delay. If they (law enforcers) keep the matter concealed, it would be considered as an offence,” the senior Supreme Court lawyer added.
Majumder, however, opined that the law enforcers should arrest everyone they suspect in connection with the bank heist for the greater interest of the country. Family members have claimed that they talked to Zoha around 12am but his cell phone has been switched off since then. Mahbubul Alam, Zoha’s uncle, said Zoha’s friend Yamir Ahmed accompanied Zoha on the way from the office of an intelligence agency to his residence at Kalabagan in the city on Wednesday night. However, their CNG-run auto rickshaw was intercepted by two microbuses moments after they started for their home. Yamir informed Zoha’s family of the ‘abduction’ after he was dropped at Manik Mia Avenue, said Mahbubul Alam.

might have been arrested, says home minister

Where is Zoha?

Family alleges abduction; police keep mum, refuse to accept complaint

IT expert Tanvir Hasan Zoha, who was reportedly involved in the investigation of the cyber heist at the Bangladesh Bank, has been missing since early Thursday. According to family members, Zoha remains missing after they talked to him around 12:15am Thursday. However, they alleged that the police are yet to accept any complaint from them in connection with the incident. Zohas family members claimed they went to several police stations as per the advice of the law enforcers since 1am Thursday but none of those stations agreed to file any complaint. They primarily went to Kalabagan Police Station to inform police soon after they came to know the incident. However, Kalabagan police told them that the area of the incident was under Kafrul Police Station. But when Zohas family members went to Kafrul Police Station, they were sent to Cantonment Police Station. Later, the cantonment police sent them to Bhasantek Police Station where the law enforcers told them that the area of the incident was not under their jurisdiction. Failing to lodge any complaint over the issue, Zohas family members were compelled to return to their home. Zohas wife demanded her husband be returned safe and sound. After the heist of $101 million from the Bangladesh Bank (BB) account, that came to light on February 29, Tanvir Hasan Zoha gave experts opinion to a number of print and electronic media outlets over the matter. Zoha told the media that payment advices were given to the Federal Reserve Bank by using the SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication) code after it was hacked. One newspaper quoted him as saying, Analysing primary database, we got evidence that the hacking took place from inside the country. Now we are checking how it happened from the local server. The media reports identified Zoha as the ICT Divisions cyber security specialist. However, the ICT Division, in a statement, denied any link with Zoha. The ICT Division also said it had not formed any committee to probe the fund heist. Zoha, however, refuted the ICT division claim and said that he has been working for the government under different capacities, and helped the law enforcing agencies in several investigations. Although Zohas family has claimed that he might have been abducted near the army intelligence DGFI office in Kachukhet area of the capital around 12:15am Thursday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said that the IT expert might have been arrested by any of the law enforcing agencies. Zoha might have been arrested for the sake of the investigation, but I am not sure about it, he said yesterday afternoon. Asked about the home ministers comment regarding Zoha, Bangladesh Bar Council Vice Chairman Advocate Abdul Baset Majumder told The Independent that the police can arrest anyone on suspicion, but they must follow some procedure. Police must produce the arrestee before the court within 24 hours of his/her arrest as the law does not allow the police to keep the arrestee under their custody over 24-hour from the time of arrest, Majumder said. If the police arrest anyone on the basis of suspicion, then police must inform the family members of the arrestee without any delay. If they (law enforcers) keep the matter concealed, it would be considered as an offence, the senior Supreme Court lawyer added. Majumder, however, opined that the law enforcers should arrest everyone they suspect in connection with the bank heist for the greater interest of the country. Family members have claimed that they talked to Zoha around 12am but his cell phone has been switched off since then. Mahbubul Alam, Zohas uncle, said Zohas friend Yamir Ahmed accompanied Zoha on the way from the office of an intelligence agency to his residence at Kalabagan in the city on Wednesday night. However, their CNG-run auto rickshaw was intercepted by two microbuses moments after they started for their home. Yamir informed Zohas family of the abduction after he was dropped at Manik Mia Avenue, said Mahbubul Alam.