Published : 09 Sep 2026, 10:17 PM
Updated : 16 Sep 2026, 11:49 AM
National Citizen Party (NCP) spokesman Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain has questioned how he could have accepted bribes for promotions and transfers made after he had left office as an interim government advisor.
He raised the question while responding to corruption allegations being investigated by the Anti-Corruption Commission at a press conference at the National Press Club on Wednesday.
On Oct 2, ACC Public Relations Officer Akhtarul Islam said a probe had begun against four people, including Asif, a former advisor in the interim government, based on complaints received by the commission.
The probe concerns allegations of corruption in transfers, appointments and promotions at the sports ministry, he said at the time.
One complaint cited by the ACC alleged that nearly Tk 20 million was being collected through bribes, including Tk 100,000 from each of 150 assistant Upazila youth development officers for promotions and Tk 30,000 per person for preferred postings.
Asif said the ACC complaint was dated Apr 26 this year, while the promotions were made under the BNP government on May 11, months after he stepped down as advisor on Dec 10, 2025.
"I wasn't even in office during the period the allegation refers to. The BNP government had already been in power for three months by then," he said.
"How could I have handled promotions or taken money while the BNP government was running things?"
At the briefing, Asif presented the ACC allegations through a multimedia slideshow, including a screenshot of what he described as an apology from the commission's spokesman in a journalists' group.
The screenshot read: "I may have used the term 'preliminary veracity' while speaking. I would request that this term not be used. If it appears in the video, I would also request that it be edited out."
Asif said the remark was never formally withdrawn, damaging his reputation.
The July Uprising leader described the ACC probe as part of a "media trial and political harassment".
Asif also disputed a separate allegation concerning transfers, appointments and promotions.
He said that while the ACC referred to the cancellation of ad-hoc duties for 38 Upazila youth development officers, the government had in fact withdrawn "current charge" duties from 112 officers.
He said the 112 assistant Upazila youth development officers had been improperly given "current charge" responsibilities on Nov 25, 2021, and that the ministry was merely implementing an administrative tribunal ruling on Dec 9, 2025, after a prolonged legal dispute.
