Palatine Media’s Smear Campaign against Bangladesh’s Central Banker Fails

Palatine Media attempted to defame Ahsan Mansur, Bangladesh’s central banker, by sending fabricated corruption allegations to UK MPs ahead of his meetings regarding wealth repatriation. This smear campaign appears to backfire, as Mansur maintains a clean reputation, prompting an investigation into the firm’s ethical practices.

A UK public relations firm, Palatine Media, attempted to undermine Ahsan Mansur, the governor of Bangladesh Bank, by sending false corruption claims to British Members of Parliament prior to his meetings aimed at discussing wealth repatriation to Bangladesh. Mansur has been at the forefront of the government’s efforts to recover around $25 billion believed to have been misappropriated by the previous administration through fraudulent loans.

The Bangladesh Bank has identified several individuals implicated in the theft, including former land minister Saifuzzaman Chowdhury, who possesses a substantial property portfolio in the UK. Prominent figures associated with the previous regime, such as Salman F. Rahman and Nazrul Islam Majumdar, are also listed among those who own property in the UK, complicating the recovery efforts.

In light of the significant stakes involved, some businessmen, such as S. Alam—allegedly the largest thief—have engaged top legal firms to defend against claims. In the interim, Palatine Media has entered the fray to support these individuals but has kept its client’s identity under wraps, citing confidentiality.

Before Mansur’s meetings with parliamentarians, Palatine Media circulated emails alleging corruption against him, utilizing dubious sources and fabricated claims. The allegations came from a piece on International Policy Digest, needlessly implying wealth concealment by mentioning his daughter’s role in a Singapore-based company, without any substantive evidence of wrongdoing.

Mansur, with a distinguished career including 28 years at the IMF, has never faced any serious allegations prior to this incident. The email from Palatine Media further claims that Mansur’s family has unexplained wealth abroad but fails to substantiate this, as it does not provide genuine proof or connect the governor to any illicit transactions.

Investigations into the falsified claims led to skepticism regarding the article’s authorship and credibility. Palatine Media’s spokesperson distanced the firm from the article’s creation, although their justifications raise questions about their adherence to ethical lobbying standards.

Despite allegations against him, Mansur responded by asserting his dedication to asset recovery and denouncing the smear campaign as an attempt to damage his reputation. Oversight bodies and parliamentary groups have since escalated the matter for a more thorough investigation into the PR firm’s actions, viewing the correspondence as a possible disinformation attempt targeting serious corruption issues.

The actions of Palatine Media in attempting to smear Ahsan Mansur highlight the ongoing issues surrounding political integrity and corruption in Bangladesh’s previous administration. Efforts to discredit key figures involved in asset recovery can obstruct meaningful resolutions for the country. The investigation by UK parliamentarians into the PR firm’s conduct may reveal deeper systemic issues of disinformation, reinforcing the need for transparency and accountability in financial governance and lobbying practices.

Original Source: www.tbsnews.net