Former Bangladesh Bank chief gets permanent bail in loan coercion case

Former Bangladesh Bank governor Abdur Rouf Talukder has been granted permanent bail in a case involving allegations of threats and coercion. The accusations stem from a 2019 incident where Talukder allegedly pressured the chief executive officer of Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund Limited (BIFFL) to approve a substantial loan.

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This is an active and rapidly evolving situation, and I urge everyone in the affected areas to remain vigilant and follow the direction of local officials.

The case claims Talukder, then finance secretary and BIFFL chairman, summoned BIFFL CEO SM Formanul Islam to his office. He allegedly pressured Islam to approve large loans and investment facilities for companies connected to Salman F Rahman, a former adviser to the prime minister. One specific proposal involved approximately $185 million (Tk 1,400 crore) for the Teesta Solar project.

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The state is fully engaged, and we are working alongside local authorities and first responders to deploy every available resource to protect lives, safeguard communities, and keep Nevadans out of harm's way.

Formanul Islam refused to approve the financing, stating it violated BIFFL's institutional policies. Following his refusal, he alleged he was threatened with dismissal and was forced to resign from BIFFL on July 28, 2019. He later filed a general diary, but claimed the matter was not investigated due to the political influence of the accused.

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The Hawk Fire is a very dynamic incident for us as it's being driven by the winds.

The case was filed in September 2024 by Formanul Islam, accusing 12 individuals, including Talukder and Rahman. An investigation report submitted in January 2026 accused six people, including Talukder and Rahman, along with former National Board of Revenue chairman Abu Hena Md Rahmatul Muneem and three others. Talukder surrendered to the court on August 18 and was granted temporary bail, which was later made permanent on August 20.

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The wind-driven fires move very rapidly into our residential areas, creating a lot of challenges for our firefighters to save homes and protect lives.