Says inquiry a part of pending cases, denies political bias

TDS Desk:

Denying the ongoing investigation against National Citizen Party (NCP) spokesperson and former interim government adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain as “targeted”, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) today said that it was taking up pending allegations one by one and in accordance with the law.

“We are not doing this to target anyone,” ACC Secretary Saidur Rahman Khan told journalists at a briefing at the anti-graft watchdog’s headquarters in Dhaka.

He said a number of matters had been pending for over five months as there was no commission and they were clearing out the pending list.

“In the coming days, you will witness that we are not doing our work in any biased way,” he said.

Asked about the allegations against Asif Mahmud and the basis for the inquiry, Saidur declined to provide details.

“Let us stay within today’s topic. Let’s not talk about this matter,” he said.

He said allegations against other former advisers, if filed, would also be examined according to law. could not immediately say whether any former advisers were facing allegations.

Saidur also rejected claims that political or other influence was affecting the ACC.

“We are an autonomous and independent institution. We are not conducting any case under anyone’s influence or with any special purpose. We are carrying out our activities fairly and in accordance with the law,” he said.

Yesterday, the ACC said it had received new allegations against Asif Mahmud involving money laundering, recruitment and postings, and commissions from development projects and tenders. The commission decided to examine them as part of its ongoing inquiry.

According to ACC documents, Asif Mahmud is accused of involvement in a transaction of around Tk 60 crore over the appointment of an administrator to Dhaka North City Corporation.

There are also allegations that Tk 2-10 crore was exchanged for the posting of 36 deputy commissioners across the country.

He is accused of involvement in tender dealings at Dhaka South City Corporation and taking 10-30 percent commissions from development project tenders while in charge of the local government ministry. The allegations also cover tenders at Narayanganj and Cumilla city corporations.

The complaint alleges that “thousands of crores of taka” were taken by inflating the costs of rural infrastructure and bridge projects. It also questions the allocation and acceptance of Tk 453 crore for a rural infrastructure project in Muradnagar, Cumilla, Asif Mahmud’s home town.

Other allegations include unusually increasing the cost of the third phase of Dhaka Wasa’s Saidabad Water Treatment Plant project and taking money by raising the cost of the Sheikh Russel Mini Stadium project by Tk 1,200 crore.

There are also allegations of financial transactions over recruitment, transfers and promotions at the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Asif Mahmud is accused of taking Tk 10 crore for appointing Abdus Salam as managing director of Dhaka Wasa, Tk 52 crore for the appointment of former LGED chief engineer Md Abdur Rashid Khan and Tk 65 crore for appointing Abdul Latif Khan as chief executive officer of Gazipur City Corporation. Including the alleged Tk 60 crore over the DNCC appointment, the four allegations total Tk 187 crore.

The complaint also accuses Asif Mahmud of wasting public money through helicopter travel and says he regularly visited five-star hotels, including the Westin, lived in a luxury flat and travelled in expensive cars.

It alleges that corruption proceeds were used to buy land in Portugal, invest in Dubai’s “Green Group” and deposit money in Swiss banks.

The documents allege that Tk 4,500 crore was laundered to Dubai, Tk 3,000 crore to Singapore, Tk 2,000 crore to Australia and Tk 1,500 crore to Switzerland, totalling Tk 11,000 crore.

Asif is also accused of laundering money abroad through his two brothers-in-laws and a nephew.

His father, Billal Hossain, and APS Moazzem Hossain are accused of controlling a contractor syndicate and collecting money through influence over the local administration; Asif Mahmud’s PO Mahfuzul Alam Bhuiyan is accused of lobbying in bribery deals and misusing power.

On September 2, the ACC decided to investigate Asif Mahmud and three others over alleged irregularities in recruitment, transfers and promotions at the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

The others are former ministry secretary Md Mahbub-ul-Alam, former joint secretary Sheikh Mohammad Zobaid Hossain, and deputy secretary Md Masum Ahmed.

A four-member team led by ACC Deputy Director Md Zahid Kalam is conducting the inquiry. The commission has also sought documents on recruitment, promotions and transfers at the ministry during Asif’s tenure.

At a September 9 press conference, Asif Mahmud denied the earlier allegations, calling the ACC inquiry a “media trial” and political harassment.

He said the promotion order for 135 assistant upazila youth development officers was issued on May 11, 2026, after he had left government.

He also disputed the allegation concerning the cancellation of current duties of 38 officials, saying the duties of 112 officials had been cancelled to implement an Administrative Tribunal ruling.

Asif Mahmud later sent a legal notice to ACC Deputy Director Akhtarul Islam, demanding withdrawal of his statement that “initial truth” had been found in the allegations.

Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain became adviser to the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the interim government in 2024 and was later given charge of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives. He resigned on December 10, 2025, and later joined the NCP as its spokesperson.