Advisor Asif Mahmud accused of overcharging Tk 12 billion for the project

❐ Staff Reporter

Political analyst and prominent journalist Manjurul Alam Panna has made an explosive allegation against Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan, an influential advisor to the interim government.

Today, Monday, August 18, in a discussion on the YouTube channel ‘Manachitra’, he claimed that in the name of running the government, he has grossly abused his power by making a single decision and increased the cost of a project by Tk 12 billion, to which other members of the advisory council had objected.

Panna said, “There seems to be no end to the allegations surrounding this person. Serious allegations are coming up one after another. It can be said right now that more terrible information will come to light in the future.”

He said that this ministerial-level advisor is not only involved in administrative corruption, but also directly involved in extortion. There have been public outrage over allegations of corruption centered around his ministry, his family, especially his father’s abuse of local power, irregularities surrounding his weapon license, and even his personal life of going to the market to eat expensive food. Various images of his corruption are coming to the fore.

The most important issue that has come to the fore is that the expenditure under the government’s ‘Sheikh Russell Mini Stadium’ project has jumped from around Tk 5.1 million to over Tk 140 million.

Panna said that there was an abnormal increase in expenditure during the Awami League period as well, which bears evidence of corruption. However, the current government, which claims to be the product of a ‘people’s uprising’, had declared war on corruption. Now it is seen that the advisors of that government are using their power alone to increase the allocation by Tk 12 billion.

Panna further alleged that this advisor is not only cooperating within the government, but also with the controversial political party called NCP (National Kings Party), which is raising questions about the impartiality and motives of the entire government. Extortion and mob lynching are also taking place on his orders.

In the discussion, Panna sarcastically said, “We have been saying for years that the Awami League was corrupt. But now those who claim to be the ‘shapers of a new Bangladesh’, what are they doing? Are they continuing the same trend, or are they adding new dimensions?”