CID arrests Facebook Group Admin over alleged Atif Aslam concert ticket scam

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Bangladesh Police has arrested the administrator of a Facebook group on charges of online fraud, cyber extortion and misuse of information technology related to ticket sales for Pakistani singer Atif Aslam's upcoming concert in Dhaka.

The arrested suspect has been identified as Md. Bakhtiar Abid Khan, 21, a resident of Malibagh Chowdhurypara in the capital.

According to the CID, concert organizers Event Sajai and Main Stage Inc. are scheduled to host Atif Aslam's concert on July 24 at the 300 Feet Cricketers Academy in Purbachal. 

The organizers partnered with GetMyTicket.live to sell tickets and launched promotional activities through Main Stage Inc.'s Facebook page on July 8.

During the campaign, the organizers allegedly discovered that a Facebook group named Bangladesh Concert & Event Connects (BCEC) was promoting ticket sales using images of tickets from a previously cancelled concert. 

The misleading posts were allegedly published by multiple Facebook accounts to deceive prospective buyers.

The complaint alleges that when the organizers contacted the group's administrator, who used the Facebook profile "Ak Abid Khan," and requested the removal of the fraudulent posts, he instead demanded Tk 100,000. 

He allegedly threatened to continue approving such posts and damage the reputation and business interests of Event Sajai and Main Stage Inc. if the payment was not made.

Following the complaint, Nisha Mahbuba Salam, representing the organizers, filed a case with Paltan Police on July 15 under relevant provisions of the Cyber Security Act, 2026.

After taking over the investigation, the CID tracked the suspect using digital forensic tools and intelligence. 

He was arrested during a raid in Malibagh Chowdhurypara at around 4:30 pm on July 16. 

An iPhone 11, believed to have been used in the alleged offences, was seized during the operation.

During preliminary interrogation, the suspect reportedly admitted that he was the administrator of the Bangladesh Concert & Event Connects (BCEC) Facebook group and operated the Facebook account under the name "Ak Abid Khan," according to the CID.

The accused has been produced before a court, while the investigation into the case remains ongoing.