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Published : 14 Aug 2025, 06:43 PM
Local Government Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain says the statement given by extortionist Jaane Alam Apu regarding the extortion at the residence of a former MP in Gulshan is politically motivated.
The advisor claimed he had no current connection with Apu.
Asif told the media on Thursday he was surprised that his name came up in connection with the incident. He said he had known Apu from 2022 when he was part of the Student Rights Council but had not spoken to him since Aug 5, 2024.
"I tried to investigate after this claim came in. Today I saw a woman holding a press briefing posing as his wife. I'm trying to find out what happened. However, she (Apu’s wife) claims that this statement was obtained after Apu was abducted. If such a thing happened, it is very alarming. (This means we’re going back) to the situation before Aug 5. This used to happen at the Dhaka University guest room. We had an Aynaghor there. It is alarming if we are returning to such a situation."
Asked whether a man seen wearing a helmet and riding a motorcycle was himself, Asif said that he often went to the 300-Foot area at night to eat duck meat with friends. If that particular restaurant was closed, he would go to the Westin. However, he was not sure if he went to the Westin on the day of the incident.
"I don’t exactly remember whether I went there that day. If someone claims that a person caught wearing a helmet on a CCTV camera is me, how credible is the claim? I don’t want to say more about this since it is under investigation."
The advisor said he had no involvement with the incident and the allegation was solely politically motivated.
"I believe that so far no one has been able to prove that I am involved. Rather, the person interviewed (Jane Alam Apu) is said to have been forcibly interviewed at the home of a political leader. This is a very serious allegation. It came from the family, so it must be reliable. At least it seems reliable as of now. You have seen similar incidents before, which we have already spoken out about. Maybe you’ll see more in future."
Jaane Alam Apu, also known as Kazi Gaurab Apu, gave a confessional statement in court over allegations of extortion at the residence of a former MP in Gulshan.
Apu, a joint convenor for the Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad, was seen in a video that went viral on social media.
In the video, Apu said that he was the man who was seen receiving the bag of money in an extortion incident in Gulshan.
“You have seen in the footage that coordinators are involved in extortion. The coordinators who were heroes last year have become extortionists,” he said
Apu claimed that he spoke to Asif Mahmud before the incident. “Do you know, at 5am that day, after informing the DC-AC of that zone, we conducted a raid on Shammi’s (former MP) house alongside the police as part of a completely official process. You should know that before going on that raid, I spoke to Advisor Asif Mahmud at a place in Gulshan.”
