Space For Rent
Friday, March 18, 2016, Chaitra 4, 1422 BS, Jamadius Sani 8, 1437 Hijri


Zoha, self-proclaimed bank heist investigator, allegedly abducted
He might have been held  : Home Minister
Published :Friday, 18 March, 2016,  Time : 12:00 AM  View Count : 72
Staff Correspondent
Tanvir Hasan Zoha, an IT expert, who bragged to the media that he was investigating into the recent cyber attack on Bangladesh Bank and fund heist, went missing since Wednesday, his family said.
His wife Kamrun Nahar Chowdhury claimed that he was abducted from Kachukhet area around 1:00am on Wednesday. She said Zoha talked with her over the phone around 11:30pm Tuesday for the last time. His mobile phone has been found switched off since 12:15am.
Replying to another query about Zoha, his family alleged that no police station is recording a general diary after the IT expert went missing, State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak said he had no idea about the matter.
Zoha's uncle Mahbubul Alam claimed that Zoha went to the office of an intelligence agency on Wednesday night from where he phoned his friend Yamir Ahmed to accompany him on the way to his residence.
Quoting Yamir, Mahbubul said, "Zoha and Yamir took a CNG-run autorickshaw but it went out of order after two minutes. Then two microbuses blocked their way and took away the duo. Then, Yamir was dropped at Manik Mia Avenue."
Later, Yamir informed Zoha's family about his "abduction." Mahbubul Alam alleged that they went to Kalabagan Police Station to inform the police soon after the incident. However, Kalabagan police told them that the area of the incident is under Kafrul Police Station.
When they went to Kafrul police early Thursday, they were sent to the Cantonment Police Station. Then, the Cantonment police sent them to Bhasantek Police where the law enforcers told them that the area of the incident was not under the police station.
Having failed to file a general diary, Zoha's family members were compelled to return home. Zoha's wife demanded that her husband be returned home safe and sound.
On February 4, hackers stole more than US$101 million from Bangladesh Bank's account with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and wired it to a number of bank accounts in the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
On February 29, Philippines daily the Inquirer broke the story of a possible $100m digital bank robbery of the BB fund.
After the incident came to light, Zoha talked to the media, giving expert opinion. The media reports identified Zoha as the ICT Division's cyber security specialist or cyber security wing director (operations).
But the ICT Division denied any links with Zoha. In a statement, the ICT Division said it had not formed any committee to probe the fund heist.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said that IT expert Tanvir Hasan Zoha might have been arrested for the sake of investigation over the Bangladesh Bank fund heist.
The Minister made the statement after attending a programme at Krishibid Institute in the capital's Farmgate on Thursday afternoon.
In response to a question, Kamal said, "Law enforcers might have arrested Zoha for the sake of the investigation. But I am not sure about it."











Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka. Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000. Phone :9586651-58. Fax: 9586659-60, Advertisemnet: 9513663, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected].