Staff Correspondent

The Transcom Group is alleged to have laundered at least Tk73 crore to India for the production of a film titled "Faraaz". According to preliminary investigations by the CID, this financial transfer occurred between 2020 and 2021. The movie, a fictional story based on the life of Faraaz, son of Transcom Group CEO Simeen Rahman, was financed entirely by Transcom Group.

However, an analysis of Bangladesh Bank's records revealed that Transcom Group had not obtained approval to send any funds to India for producing the movie. Additionally, there is no mention of such a project in the company's official records.

The controversial movie, released in 2022, was fully funded by Transcom Group and Simeen Rahman. Film’s director Hansal Mehta disclosed in an interview with Filmfare magazine that the project was a commissioned one, with its concept, screenplay, and entire funding provided by Simeen Rahman and her business group. This interview was published in October last year.

Hansal Mehta claimed that this film was carefully orchestrated, with its script and financial arrangements managed entirely by Simeen Rahman.

On 1 July 2016, a terrorist attack occurred at the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan, Dhaka, leaving 22 people dead, including several foreigners. This attack shocked the entire nation. During the incident Faraaz was reportedly present with the terrorists. Multiple analyses of evidence later indicated that Faraaz was an accomplice of the terrorists.

Following the incident, Simeen Rahman allegedly orchestrated a campaign to change the narrative about her son. With significant financial investments, a project was undertaken to portray the "terrorist son" as a "hero." Collaborating with the authoritarian government of the time, efforts were made to suppress the information that Faraaz had been killed as a terrorist at the scene.

Later, Simeen Rahman planned to reshape the entire incident through a controversial movie. Editors Matiur Rahman of Prothom Alo and Mahfuz Anam of The Daily Star reportedly advised and supported her in this effort. Nuruzzaman Lavlu, a close associate of Matiur Rahman, was tasked with creating an investigative report to portray Faraaz as a hero in the incident.

When two Bangladeshi directors declined to produce the film despite lucrative offers, Simeen Rahman sought Indian directors. With the mediation of Matiur Rahman and Mahfuz Anam, three Indian directors were approached. Eventually, a selection committee led by Matiur Rahman, Mahfuz Anam, and Anisul Haque unanimously chose Hansal Mehta as the director.

Investigations revealed that three entities were listed as producers: T-Series, Benaras Media Works, and Mahanana Company. T-Series is well-known in India, while Benaras Media Works is associated with filmmaker Anubhav Sinha. However, no details were found about Mahanana Company, which has only been associated with the Faraaz movie.

It was discovered that Mahanana Company is a shell entity linked to Simeen Rahman and her son, Zaraif Ayat Hossain, created to channel funds for the movie. Hansal Mehta disclosed that the film cost approximately 60 crore Indian Rupees, equivalent to Tk73 crore, all of which was financed by Simeen Rahman.

According to the Indian Film Board, T-Series acquired the rights for the movie’s songs, while Benaras Media distributed the film. Neither organization invested financially in the project.

The movie distorted the events of Holey Artisan, portraying Faraaz as a hero who resisted the terrorists, a narrative refuted by eyewitness accounts. Intelligence agencies found no evidence of such actions during the attack.

During the movie’s production, Simeen Rahman and her son reportedly traveled to India five times, while Hansal Mehta and his team visited Bangladesh four times, attending several events at Simeen Rahman’s residence. No permission was obtained from the Ministry of Information for filming in Bangladesh, as required by law for joint productions. It has been confirmed that the film was made without authorization, allegedly with the support of the then-corrupt Information Minister Hasan Mahmud.

The CID is currently investigating the illegal transfer of Tk73 crore to India by Simeen Rahman and Zaraif Ayat Hossain. A CID source noted that, besides Faraaz, Transcom Group, along with Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, has collaborated with India to establish the OTT platform Chorki, which also reportedly involved unauthorized joint funding.

There are allegations against Transcom Group and Simeen Rahman of laundering large sums of money to various countries. Initial findings suggest significant money laundering through both the Faraaz project and the Chorki platform, with further investigations underway.