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“Some powerhouses still exist that pressure media to run such stories; It’s very unfortunate,” he says
Published : 27 Apr 2025, 12:13 AM
Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain has said despite doubts over the credibility of reports accusing his former assistant personal secretary (APS) Moazzem Hossain of irregularities and corruption, he has requested the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to investigate the allegations for greater transparency.
Speaking at the Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University centre in Agargaon on Saturday while inspecting the Palli Daridro Bimochon Foundation (PDBF) recruitment examination, he said: “The ACC has already begun an investigation.
"If anything exists, it will come to light; if it is just a rumour, that will also be revealed.”
The public administration ministry issued a notification a few days ago relieving Moazzem of his duties as APS.
Moazzem has claimed that he had applied for his own release, but media reports suggested he was removed amidst allegations of “irregularities”.
Asif said: “There are ongoing discussions about my former APS. A news report came out claiming he was removed. But it happened following the submission of his resignation.”
The local government advisor alleged that media outlets published unsourced reports under pressure from a “powerful group”.
He added that he would request the information ministry to address the issue. “A news report claimed Tk 3 billion; you should assess its credibility.
“There’s no named source or witness testimony, and the phrase ‘It has been learnt’ appeared at least seven times.”
Speaking about conversations with the journalists involved, Asif said: “When I spoke with them, they admitted that the report came from an external source and they were pressured to publish it.
“That’s why I requested ACC to look into the matter for greater transparency. They’ve already begun the process.”
He added, “You know which houses exert pressure. In the past, several agencies pressured houses to manufacture news.
“Now, the government does not put any pressure. Still, many powerhouses remain, from where pressure is exerted to publish such news. It is extremely unfortunate.
“We will request the information ministry to ensure independent journalism and press freedom.”
On the topic of joining a new political party, the advisor said: “There is a public expectation because of my leadership during the July uprising. But no decision has been made yet about which party I will join or when.
“It should not be assumed that I will necessarily join a new political party. When I do engage in politics, I will choose the best option for myself.”
Discussing the recruitment exam at PDBF, Asif said: “A total of 203,494 candidates are sitting the exam for 1,665 posts.
“That is 122 candidates competing for each post. There are about 60,000 vacant posts in the local government, rural development and cooperatives ministry.
“Most are within autonomous municipal bodies. For our ministry’s units, around 3,500 posts have been advertised. Within the next two months, we will recruit another 10,000 people,” he concluded.
