A committee formed to investigate ‘corruption’ allegations against BSS Managing Director Mahbub

Photo: Collected

News Desk: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has formed a four-member committee to investigate allegations of “corruption” brought against Mahbub Morshed, Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).

In an official statement issued on Thursday (19 February), the ministry said the committee was formed to ensure an impartial, transparent, and proper review of the corruption allegations against Mahbub, recently reported in various media outlets.

An Additional Secretary (Grade-1) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will serve as the chair of the investigation committee. The ministry’s Senior Assistant Secretary (Press-1) will act as the member secretary.

Other members of the committee include the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Information and the Director General of the Department of Mass Communication.

According to a ministry order issued the same day, the committee will conduct an in-depth review of the allegations, hear statements from the concerned parties, and carry out necessary investigative activities.

The order also instructed the committee to submit a full report with recommendations by 25 February.

Earlier, on Wednesday afternoon, a protest took place at the BSS office in Paltan, Dhaka, against Mahbub. During the protest, a section of journalists and employees declared him “unwanted” at the state-run news agency’s office.

Facing the protest, Mahbub left the office. Later, in a Facebook post, Mahbub—who was appointed during the interim government—alleged that pressure was being created to “remove” him by “forming a mob.”

Following the mass uprising of students and the public in 2024 that led to the ouster of the Awami League government, the interim government appointed novelist and journalist Mahbub as Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief of BSS on 18 August 2024 for a two-year term.