UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – MPs raise concerns over misleading emails targeting Ahsan Mansur, Bangladesh’s central bank governor, amid his inquiry into alleged money laundering.
As reported by The Guardian, MPs in Britain fear they have been subjected to a misinformation effort. The campaign appears aimed at damaging the lead investigator tracking claims of laundered Bangladeshi money flowing into the UK.
What did MPs raise concerns about regarding the Bangladesh inquiry?
Lawmakers in the UK expressed fears over emails regarding Ahsan Mansur, who was appointed Bangladesh’s central bank governor last year after a student-driven revolution removed Sheikh Hasina’s authoritarian government.
MPs now worry that the UK’s support for Bangladesh could be undermined by what appears to be a coordinated smear campaign against Mansur, involving fabricated news reports.
Mansur and committee MPs raised worries, suspecting that emails were tied to a targeted misinformation campaign.
Who sent emails to APPG MPs, and what did they contain?
Members of the 47-strong all-party parliamentary group on responsible tax and corruption received emails before their Monday session with Mansur.
A sender, claiming to be a journalist, shared links to International Policy Digest, publishing reports on Mansur’s daughter’s apparent wealth and raising questions about the absence of an inquiry.
What did Mansur say about his daughter’s connection to Bangladesh?
Ahsan Mansur, a former IMF official who previously lived and worked in Washington, stated that suspects in money laundering cases were working to discredit him and target him through various means.
He stated that his daughter, a US citizen, has no significant involvement with Bangladesh.
What claims were made against Mansur in the emails?
Rupa Huq, an APPG member, received an email from Palatine Communications, a UK-based public relations firm. The email also linked to articles on International Policy Digest.
The emails claimed that if Mansur questioned Tulip Siddiq’s integrity, he and his family should also be investigated.
However, Mansur denied ever making any comments about Siddiq.
What did Rupa Huq say about the email and its intent?
Huq labelled the email as “highly unusual,” comparing it to protests that had targeted her parliamentary speeches in Bangladesh. She said both incidents were
“designed to intimidate and interfere with parliament and MPs’ normal work”.
What did the APPG members say about the disinformation emails?
APPG members have allegedly forwarded the emails to the parliamentary cyber security advisers and the foreign affairs committee, which is probing disinformation threats.
Its member Phil Brickell, stated,
“If it is the case that this communication is an attempt to mislead UK politicians when it comes to a very serious corruption scandal, then I think we should be very concerned.”
He added,
“I urge the relevant parliamentary authorities to investigate thoroughly – we must get to the bottom of who paid for this, and why, in order to understand how we can best protect ourselves.”
What did Palatine Communications and International Policy Digest say?
A spokesperson for Palatine Communications stated,
“Our client instructions are confidential. In sending the email in question, we acted on our own initiative.”
They said,
“We have nothing to do with, and know nothing of, the authorship of this article, but nor did we ever claim it represented the gospel truth. Like numerous articles from many media outlets, it raises legitimate concerns about the current situation in Bangladesh that we believe are worthy of MPs’ consideration.”
A representative from International Policy Digest revealed that the article’s author requested to stay anonymous. They added that they were confident in the content’s accuracy.
How did Sheikh Hasina lose power in 2024?
Bangladesh’s Prime Minister since 2009, Sheikh Hasina, fled the country on 5 August 2024. Though she won re-election in January 2024, opposition parties had refused to participate. In her absence, an interim government, led by economist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, has assumed control.
Ms Hasina’s administration achieved economic growth, but frustration grew over alleged corruption and claims that favouritism toward party allies led to rising dissatisfaction among the public.