The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided to add a new set of allegations against former adviser Asif Mahmud to its ongoing inquiry into alleged financial transactions involving appointments and postings, commissions from development projects and tenders, bribery and money laundering.
ACC Deputy Director and Public Relations Officer Aktarul Islam disclosed the information at a press conference on Sunday.
Aktarul Islam said the new application contains allegations of irregularities and financial transactions involving the appointment of an administrator to Dhaka North City Corporation, the posting of deputy commissioners (DCs) in different districts, tender processes at Dhaka South City Corporation and other agencies, and development projects under the Ministry of Local Government.
According to the application submitted to the ACC, about Tk 60cr allegedly changed hands in the appointment of an administrator to Dhaka North City Corporation, while Tk 2cr to Tk 10cr per person was allegedly transacted in the posting of DCs in 36 districts.
Aktarul Islam said the allegations are being investigated.
The application also alleges that while Asif Mahmud was responsible for the Ministry of Local Government, he received commissions ranging from 10% to 30% from tenders for various development projects.
It also alleges his involvement in irregularities in tender processes at Dhaka South City Corporation, Narayanganj City Corporation and Comilla City Corporation.
The application further alleges that a large amount of money was embezzled by increasing the costs of rural infrastructure development and bridge construction projects under the Ministry of Local Government.
It also alleges an unusual increase in the cost of the 3rd phase of the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority’s Sayedabad Water Treatment Plant project and an increase of nearly Tk 1,200cr in the cost of the Sheikh Russel Mini Stadium project to allegedly misappropriate money.
The application also contains allegations of transactions involving crores of taka in various appointments, transfers and promotions under the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
It alleges that Tk 10cr was taken as a bribe in exchange for appointing Abdus Salam as managing director of Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority, Tk 52cr was paid as a bribe for appointing former Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) chief engineer Md Abdur Rashid Khan, and Tk 65cr was transacted to appoint Abdul Latif Khan as chief executive officer of Gazipur City Corporation.
The application also raises allegations concerning Asif Mahmud’s lifestyle and acquisition of assets abroad. It claims that he regularly visited 5-star hotels, lived in a luxurious flat, used expensive cars and traveled by helicopter, resulting in the misuse of state funds.
It further alleges that land was purchased in Portugal, investments were made in a company in Dubai and money was deposited in Swiss banks with funds allegedly acquired through corruption.
The application claims that Tk 4,500cr was siphoned off to Dubai, Tk 3,000cr to Singapore, Tk 2,000cr to Australia and Tk 1,500cr to Switzerland, where assets were purchased and investments were made in various businesses.
It also alleges that money was laundered abroad through the husbands of 2 sisters and a nephew.
The ACC said the figures concerning money laundering and claims about assets are allegations made by the applicant. Their veracity is being verified through the inquiry.
The application also mentions an allocation of Tk 453cr for Asif Mahmud’s home upazila of Muradnagar under a rural infrastructure development project. The complainant claims the process of allocation and receipt of the funds under the project is questionable.
It also alleges that Asif Mahmud’s father Billal Hossain and his assistant private secretary (APS) Moazzem Hossain controlled a syndicate of contractors and collected money by influencing the local administration.
His personal officer (PO) Mahfuzul Alam Bhuiyan has also been accused of lobbying for bribery transactions and abusing power.
ACC Public Relations Officer Aktarul Islam said an inquiry into allegations of corruption and irregularities against Asif Mahmud had already been ongoing. He said the new allegations would be attached to the previous documents and investigated.
On September 2, ACC official Akhtarul Islam said at a press conference that the commission had found “initial evidence” of allegations of irregularities in transfers, appointments and promotions involving former adviser Asif Mahmud .
Following those remarks, the issue was widely circulated in various media outlets and on social media.
Asif Mahmud held a press conference that day to protest the allegations. On Thursday, Supreme Court lawyer Muhammad Rafiqul Islam Joni sent a notice to the ACC on his behalf.
The National Citizens Party (NCP) confirmed the matter in a statement sent to the media on Friday.
On the next working day, the ACC announced that it had received new allegations against Asif Mahmud and would investigate them.
