The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has formally interrogated Bushra Afrin, the daughter of the incarcerated former Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), Atiqul Islam. The session, held at the commission’s headquarters on Thursday morning, marks a significant step in the state’s broader investigation into the financial dealings of the previous municipal administration.
Ms Afrin, who gained prominence as South Asia’s first ‘Chief Heat Officer’ (CHO) in May 2023, arrived at the ACC office at 9:30 am. She was questioned for approximately 90 minutes by a team led by Deputy Director Md. Saiduzzaman.
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The Scope of the Interrogation
While Ms Afrin’s appointment to the DNCC was a landmark move in climate resilience, the current investigation focuses on the origins of her family’s wealth. A senior ACC official confirmed that the inquiry seeks to establish whether she was involved in the acquisition or management of illicit assets linked to her father, former Mayor Atiqul Islam.
The commission is currently tracing a web of assets that allegedly exceed the family’s known income. This includes:
Domestic Real Estate: Significant land and property holdings across Dhaka.
Foreign Assets: Probes into bank accounts and properties located in Canada and the United States.
Procurement Scams: Allegations of kickbacks from inflated government tenders, particularly involving mosquito control machinery and chemicals.
Key Figures Under Investigation
| Individual | Role | Current Status |
| Atiqul Islam | Former DNCC Mayor | Detained since Oct 16, 2024; facing multiple fraud charges. |
| Bushra Afrin | Daughter / Former CHO | Interrogated; under a strict court-ordered travel ban. |
| Shaila Shagufta Islam | Wife of Atiqul Islam | Named in the wealth probe; also under a travel ban. |
| DNCC Tender Board | Administrative Body | Scrutinised for irregularities in the “larvicide” procurement. |
A Fall from Grace
The legal walls began closing in on the family following the political upheaval of 2024. Atiqul Islam was arrested in the Mohakhali DOHS area and has since been remanded for questioning regarding the misappropriation of public funds and the violent suppression of protesters during the July uprising.
On 7 January 2026, a Dhaka court issued a travel ban against Bushra Afrin and her mother, Shaila Shagufta Islam, after the ACC argued they were flight risks. The commission is specifically looking into how Ms Afrin’s international education—spanning schools in Dhaka, high school in Canada, and degrees from Queen’s University and the Institute of Local Government in Ghana—was financed.
Allegations of Institutional Corruption
The ACC’s primary focus remains a series of suspicious tenders. Investigators allege that during Atiqul’s tenure, millions were siphoned off through the purchase of substandard mosquito control equipment at exorbitant prices.
By questioning Ms Afrin, the commission aims to determine if these “black money” funds were laundered into her private accounts or used to fund her lifestyle abroad. The interrogation ended with Ms Afrin being permitted to leave, though she remains under the commission’s surveillance as the probe into the “Heat Officer’s” financial ties continues.