While Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus and everyone in the illegal interim government are busy making money hastily, as their time is running out, his close aide Ahsan Habib Mansur has also found a golden goose to make his fortune.
Using his position as the Bangladesh Bank governor, Dr Mansur has been extorting money from the banks, financial institutions, and businessmen and working with Yunus for a hostile takeover of Nagad through a combination of legal intimidation, media pressure, and regulatory interference.
The operation is allegedly funded by powerful fintech stakeholders, including Kamal Quadir, CEO of rival firm bKash, and Asif Saleh, Executive Director of BRAC.
Whistleblowers have named several officials from the Bangladesh Bank as key enablers of the takeover attempt. Those accused include Muhammad Badiuzzaman Dider, Director; Md Habibur Rahman, Additional Director, Payment Systems; Anwar Ullah and Palash Mandal, Joint Directors; Chayan Biswas, Deputy Director, ICT; Md Ayub Khan, Deputy Director; and Abu Sadat Mohammed Yasin, Joint Director (Motijheel Office, ICT).
Questionable moves
He has also earned a hefty amount of money by allowing the corrupt people of his clique to go scot-free despite amassing illegal wealth.
Meanwhile, Dr Mansur has triggered anxiety in the financial sector with remarks warning that widespread fraud and looting have pushed 10 banks to the verge of bankruptcy.
According to official records, between September 2024 and May 2025, Dr Mansur undertook nine overseas trips to as many countries, spending a total of 65 days abroad, including 27 days in the US and five days in Dubai.
Since taking office, Dr Mansur has spent 91 days on public holidays (Fridays, Saturdays, Eid, and national days) and 65 days abroad, amounting to 156 non-working days out of 284. He has reportedly worked just 128 days in the office.
While plundering money and securing personal benefits, Yunus, Mansur and other advisers have been blaming the previous Awami League government officials, including five-time premier Sheikh Hasina, of money laundering.
They are using the Anti-Corruption Commission, the central bankโs Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) and a section of the legacy media to slander the people linked to the Awami League.
However, as Mansurโs earnings keep overflowing, it becomes visible to the public, though not inside Bangladesh.
Mehreen Sarah Mansur, the daughter of the central bank boss, could not hide her money. Accustomed to living a lavish lifestyle through gold smuggling, Mehreen has frequented Dubai since her father took office on August 14 last year.
By December, she became the owner of a 4,715.35 sq-ft flat at the Palazzo Versace Dubai in Al Jaddafโthe Dubai Culture Village which includes sleek waterfront apartments and upscale boutique hotels overlooking Dubai Creek.
According to the title deed, accessed by The Daily Republic, the father-daughter duo owns the flat with three parking spaces. The Land Registration No. is 341480/2024, dated December 24, 2024.
The price of the flat stands at 13,500,000 dirhams (equivalent to $3,675,870), according to the mortgage document issued in favour of Mashreq Bank PLC.
Photos of Dr Mansur, his family members, including Mehreen, having dinner in the lavish flat have flooded social media.
โFlat was bought in 2023โ
On Wednesday, Dr Mansur claimed that his daughter purchased the flat in Dubai in 2023.
โMy daughter is an adultโsheโs 40 years old and married. She lives in Dubai because of her husbandโs business. Sheโs a US citizen and fully capable of purchasing such a flat on her own. Why would I be involved in her financial matters?โ
He explained that his daughterโs family had been renting the flat, which was previously owned by an Indian national. When the owner decided to sell it, Mehreen bought it. The purchase was finalised in 2023, and formal transfer procedures were completed in 2024. “Moreover, 80% of the property value is mortgaged,” he added.
โIn the past three years, Iโve only given my daughter a piece of clothing. Thatโs all,โ the governor claimed.
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