Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Director Ashik Chowdhuryโa UK citizen with a notorious reputation as a serial fraudster and liar and the son of the corrupt former lawmaker Harun Chowdhuryโalongside Deena Afroz Yunus, daughter of Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, has brazenly undermined the armed forces’ discipline under the pretext of a so-called “world record” stunt.
In a blistering exposรฉ that’s sending shockwaves through Bangladesh’s military establishment, activist Omi Rahman Pial made a scathing statement on Sunday, which is now circulating widely on social media.
He paints a picture of elite privilege run amok, where unqualified civilians don sacred military insignia, embarrassing the nation’s defenders just days before Victory Day on December 16. The controversy erupts as Bangladesh gears up for a high-profile parachute jump involving 54 paratroopers, ostensibly to honour the 54th anniversary of independence by setting a Guinness World Record for the largest flag-bearing skydiving formation.
The โWorld Recordโ Facade and Elite Posturing
At the heart of the uproar is the planned aerial spectacle over Dhaka, promoted lavishly on Dr. Yunus’s official Facebook page. The post boasts: “On the great Victory Day of December 16, as many as 54 paratroopers will set a world record by jumping with the Bangladesh flag. Among them, Ashik Chowdhury will jump wearing a helmet painted with the image of covert Shibir leader and mobster Osman Hadi. It calls for prayers for Haider’s swift recoveryโa nod to the pioneering Bangladeshi skydiverโwhile sharing glossy photos that, according to Pial, reek of self-aggrandisement.
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But Pial argues this is no patriotic flourish; it’s a desperate bid for relevance by figures whose track records are marred by failure and deceit. Ashik, the BIDA chief whose investment summits have squandered crores of taxpayer rupees on global fanfare without yielding even a fraction in foreign direct investment, is front and center.
“Mouthfuls of billions in investments” have been promised by Ashik and Dr. Yunus in lavish roadshows abroad, Pial charges, only for the nation to be left with empty promises and “bamboozle”โa term he uses to describe Ashik’s habitual exaggeration.
Deena Afroz Yunus, often shielded by her father’s Nobel legacy, joins the fray with equal audacity. Photos circulating on social media and government channels show herโalongside Ashikโsporting the Bangladesh Air Force’s prestigious pilot wing badge, a symbol reserved for those who endure rigorous, years-long training.
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“Neither has the qualification to wear it,” Pial thunders, “yet they’ve pinned it on like a cheap accessory.” Images depict the duo posing with the Air Force Chief, badges gleaming, while influential government figures share the snaps with glee.
Military Backlash: A Breach of Sacred Discipline
The fallout has been swift and seething within the armed forces. Serving and retired personnel, particularly from the Air Force, are reportedly “embarrassed and outraged,” with whispers of discontent spreading like wildfire. “Pilot wing badges aren’t handouts,” one anonymous Air Force member told Pial. “They’re earned after grueling training. Once grounded, you can’t wear them again. But Deena Yunus gets hers overnight!”
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Pial draws parallels to past scandals, like the criticism over President Mohammed Shahabuddin wearing the wingsโa move that already stirred unrest. “This isn’t honour; it’s an assault on the armed forces’ dignity and order,” he asserts.
The timing couldn’t be worse: just 18 months into an interim government accused of sidelining the Great War of Liberation and its heroesโtreating them like “Pakistan’s chief enemies”โAshik and Deena’s stunt smacks of performative patriotism. “Suddenly, on Victory Day, they’re leaping for glory,” Pial mocks, “while the real 53 paratroopers vanish into obscurity, their stories buried under Ashik’s ego.”
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Media complicity amplifies the farce, Pial claims. Yunus’s press wing and “so-called free media” pump out Ashik-centric narratives, ignoring the team and fueling a “hype machine” that drowns out genuine heroes. Social media buzz, he says, is a “circus of poses”โall orchestrated to whitewash Ashik’s scandals.
Ashik Chowdhury: A Legacy of Lies and Corruption
No stranger to controversy, Ashik Chowdhury’s ascent to BIDA’s helm has been dogged by allegations of fraud and nepotism. As the son of Harun Chowdhuryโthe disgraced ex-MP implicated in massive corruption rackets involving land grabs and money launderingโAshik carries the taint of familial infamy. Harun’s empire, built on alleged kickbacks and political patronage, crumbled under scrutiny, leaving Ashik to inherit not just wealth but a playbook of deception.
Critics, including Pial, accuse Ashik of peddling “investment fairy tales” that evaporate upon scrutiny. Despite fanfare-filled summits co-hosted with Dr. Yunus, not a single major FDI has materialised to justify the extravagance. “He’s busy with bamboozle abroad while the economy starves,” Pial writes, labelling Ashik’s UK citizenship a convenient escape hatch for a man who treats Bangladesh like a personal playground.
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Deena Yunus, meanwhile, embodies dynastic entitlement. Thrust into the spotlight by her father’s advisory role, her involvement in this aerial charade underscores a broader critique: the Yunus family’s grip on power, where merit yields to lineage.
Calls for Accountability Amid National Pride
As the jump looms, Pial urges the public to see through the spectacle. “This isn’t about records; it’s about respectโfor our forces, our freedom fighters, and our future.” He demands an investigation into the badge issuance, questioning how civilians bypassed protocols and whether military brass bent rules for political favour.
The armed forces, pillars of Bangladesh’s 1971 victory, deserve better than “embarrassment on Victory Day,” Pial concludes. With discontent festering, the event risks tarnishing a sacred commemoration, turning national pride into a punchline for the privileged few.
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