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The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has asked the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) to provide information and documents on the bank accounts and assets of former interim government adviser and National Citizen Party (NCP) spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan and his wife.
The request relates to allegations of acquiring assets at home and abroad, money laundering and purchasing land in Portugal, Australia, Dubai, Singapore and Switzerland.
The information was disclosed in a letter signed by ACC Deputy Director and investigating officer Md Zahid Kalam. A senior ACC official confirmed the matter to Dhaka Post on Thursday (September 17).
The ACC asked the BFIU to provide details of all accounts held by Asif Mahmud and his wife with banks and non-bank financial institutions in Bangladesh, including active, dormant and closed accounts.
The commission also sought information on debit and credit cards, lockers, bonds, savings certificates, fixed deposits, DPS accounts and loans.
The letter further requested records concerning alleged land purchases, money laundering and the formation of shell companies in Portugal, Australia, Dubai, Singapore and Switzerland, as well as information on whether the couple has bank accounts or investments in those countries.
The letter referred to allegations against Asif Mahmud of acquiring illegal wealth while serving in the interim government, transferring money abroad, obtaining foreign citizenship and establishing shell companies overseas.
On September 2, the ACC began an inquiry into allegations of irregularities and corruption involving recruitment, transfers and procurement at the Ministry of Youth and Sports during Asif Mahmud’s tenure.
The commission formed a special team led by Zahid Kalam to investigate the allegations. It subsequently sought several categories of documents from the ministry, and key records relating to recruitment, promotion and transfers carried out during his tenure have already been submitted to the ACC.
On September 13, the ACC also decided to conduct separate inquiries into fresh allegations against Asif Mahmud involving bribery, recruitment and posting deals and money laundering linked to the Dhaka North and Dhaka South city corporations. The new allegations will be investigated alongside the earlier inquiry.
The allegations include laundering Tk 110 billion to five countries, including Tk 45 billion to Dubai, Tk 30 billion to Singapore, Tk 20 billion to Australia and Tk 15 billion to Switzerland, as well as purchasing land in Portugal.
The ACC said the new allegations also involve alleged financial transactions in the appointment of the Dhaka North city corporation administrator and the posting of district commissioners, as well as alleged commissions from tenders and development projects under the Ministry of Local Government.
Other allegations concern recruitment, transfers and promotions at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and alleged irregularities in several infrastructure and water supply projects.
The inquiry also names several officials of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, including then-secretary Md Mahbub-ul-Alam, joint secretary Dr Sheikh Mohammad Zubayed Hossain and deputy secretary Md Masum Ahmed.
After the ACC inquiry became public on September 2, Asif Mahmud protested statements by the commission’s public relations officer, saying they had defamed him. On September 10, he also sent a legal notice seeking withdrawal of a statement that the ACC had found “initial evidence” of corruption allegations against him.
ACC Secretary Saidur Rahman Khan, however, said on September 9 that the inquiry was being conducted in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations.