Published : 29 Sep 2026, 05:06 PM
Updated : 29 Sep 2026, 05:06 PM
National Citizen Party (NCP) spokesperson Asif Mahmud’s challenge to two Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) press briefings has been dropped from the High Court’s vacation-bench cause list.
The petition was taken off the list on Tuesday after a hearing began before the bench of Justice Bhishmadev Chakrabortty and Justice Sheikh Tahsin Ali.
Asif's lawyer Zahirul Islam Musa said several cases were removed from the cause list as it was the final working day of the vacation bench, adding that none were dismissed.
He said that the petition will be brought before a new bench for a hearing once the court resumes regular business.
Asif filed the plea on Sunday, challenging the legality of the ACC’s Sept 2 and Sept 13 briefings.
In his petition, he said the graftbuster had announced during the preliminary stage of its inquiry that it had found “prima facie truth” in allegations of corruption and money laundering against him.
He argued that the briefings violated the commission’s Information Disclosure Policy-2011 and Article 31 of the Constitution, which protects citizens’ dignity and reputation.
The petition claimed that under the policy’s prescribed format, the ACC can disclose in press briefings only information on the current status of filed cases and statistics on convictions.
It said the ACC’s Sept 2 briefing disclosed that it had found “prima facie truth” in allegations against Asif Mahmud, including receiving Tk 7.6 million.
A senior ACC official later described the remark in a WhatsApp group of journalists as a “slip of tongue”, but it was not formally withdrawn, according to the plea.
The Sept 13 briefing, meanwhile, allegedly raised allegations of “commission trading” involving hundreds of millions of taka from the appointment of the Dhaka North City Corporation administrator and 36 deputy commissioners, the appointment of the chief engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department, and tenders for development projects.
The petition also referred to an allegation that nearly Tk 110 billion had been siphoned abroad.
It sought a rule asking why the two briefings should not be declared without legal authority.
Asif also sought directions preventing the ACC from holding any more press briefings on the ongoing inquiry or investigation until the rule is disposed of.
He also sought an interim direction requiring the commission to withdraw and publish a retraction of the remarks made at the earlier briefings.
