Midnight Influence Peddling at Secretariat: Exposé on Two Advisors’ APS-POs’ Billion-Taka Racket

Special Correspondent | April 24, 2025

After transforming the quota reform movement into the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (BESHA) and engineering a regime change, Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan became an advisor to the LGRD and Youth & Sports ministries under the movement’s quota. Since then, allegations of irregularities surrounding him and his office have surfaced repeatedly, including his helicopter luxury and influence-peddling business exposed on social media.

Now, his former Assistant Private Secretary (APS) Moazzem Hossain faces similar influence-peddling allegations, alongside Health Advisor Nurjahan Begum’s personal officer (student representative) Tuhin Farabi and Dr. Mahmudul Hasan. They stand accused of amassing hundreds of crores by facilitating postings and reinstatements of doctors, engineers, and officials in exchange for money.

Officials speaking anonymously to leading media outlets revealed the accused operated across multiple ministries—LGRD, Home, Health, Water Resources, Public Works, and Roads & Highways—building illicit fortunes within months. Their operations were multilayered: pressuring transfers/postings of engineers up to upazila level, interfering in projects, and extorting money.

Moazzem, a former BESHA leader himself appointed under student quota, allegedly mirrored his boss’s lifestyle—helicopter travels and extorting contractors using political clout. More alarmingly, Tuhin Farabi and Dr. Mahmudul reportedly monetized health sector postings, charging Tk 15-25 lakh per doctor transfer and Tk 2 lakh for senior nurses, even taking cuts from Hajj medical team selections.

Despite interim government leaders being aware, internal sources confirm inaction due to fears of advisor backlash. Moazzem and Tuhin were eventually removed on April 21 following outcry, while Dr. Mahmudul remains abroad in Russia with uncertain return plans.

Investigations reveal Moazzem operated a shadow “influence office” daily after 4 PM at the Secretariat, controlling postings, tenders, and even police armament supplies. Engineers across departments—from LGED chief engineers to upazila levels—reportedly paid lakhs for favorable transfers. Public Works’ Segunbagicha office became his evening hub to finalize lucrative transfer lists.

Similarly, Tuhin and Dr. Mahmudul allegedly forced ex-health secretaries to approve transfers, siphoning Tk 5-10 lakh per case while replacing selected contractors with their affiliates. Though Tuhin was removed, Dr. Mahmudul retains his post remotely from Russia.

Moazzem denies wrongdoing, claiming voluntary resignation for PSC exam prep and challenging anyone to prove corruption. Meanwhile, Health Ministry officials confirm the two student aides have been “untraceable” for long periods.

This isn’t mere individual misconduct—it’s the unmasking of a student politics-backed syndicate pillaging under ideological guise. Without immediate state intervention, these seeds will sprout into greater criminal enterprises.