Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain has said that he personally requested the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to investigate the allegations and rumours surrounding his former assistant personal secretary (APS).
He made the statement in a post on his verified Facebook page on Saturday afternoon.
He added that he had also instructed the relevant ministry and others concerned to extend full cooperation in the matter.
Asif Mahmud wrote that if anyone is involved in corruption, regardless of who they are, action must be taken under the laws of the state.
He added: “This reflects the commitment of post-July uprising Bangladesh. The neutrality and professionalism of constitutional institutions are evidence of the country’s progress toward a new Bangladesh.”
He said a particular group had been trying to deliberately implicate him from the beginning to create a misleading perception for political reasons.
“But for me, truth and moral courage are paramount. That is why I requested the investigation myself,” he said.
The adviser expressed hope that the ACC would conduct a neutral and professional inquiry and that the truth would emerge.
“We want to set an example of integrity, accountability, and good governance that others may follow,” he added.
Earlier on Saturday afternoon, Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib issued an order banning former APS Md Moazzem Hossain from leaving the country and instructed that his NID be blocked. The order followed a petition from the ACC.
The ACC's Deputy Director Minu Akter Sumi filed the application seeking the restrictions, citing that Moazzem Hossain, former APS to the Local Government adviser, had allegedly amassed hundreds of crores of taka through abuse of power, lobbying, extortion, tender manipulation, and other irregularities and corrupt practices.
The petition said that, according to credible sources, the accused might attempt to leave the country. Therefore, to ensure a fair investigation, a travel ban and the NID block were deemed necessary.
