Asif accused of laundering Tk 11,000 crore, ACC launches probe
Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan. File photo.
Allegations of multi-billion taka financial irregularities, transactions involving millions for recruitments and transfers, and laundering Tk 11,000 crore have surfaced against Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, the former Youth and Sports Advisor of the interim government. Asif currently serves as the spokesperson for the National Citizen Party (NCP).
Along with these allegations, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has received complaints regarding financial transactions related to postings and promotions within the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The Commission has decided to conduct an inquiry into the matter.
On September 2, the ACC initiated an investigation against four individuals, including Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, over various irregularities and corruption in the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
A reliable source of ACC confirmed this information on Sunday, stating that the new allegations will be merged into the ongoing investigation.
Tk 11,000 Crore Laundering Abroad
The allegations against Asif Mahmud include leading a luxurious lifestyle using corrupt proceeds and investing money overseas. According to the complaint, he regularly traveled by helicopters and stayed in five-star hotels. The specific laundering claims involve Tk 4,500 crore to Dubai, Tk 3,000 crore to Singapore, Tk 2,000 crore to Australia, and Tk 1,500 crore to Switzerland. He is accused of building businesses and acquiring assets abroad by laundering nearly Tk 11,000 crore.
Millions in Bribes for Recruitments and Postings
The complaint filed with the ACC states that around Tk 60 crore was transacted during the appointment of the administrator to the Dhaka North City Corporation, alongside sums ranging from Tk 2 crore to Tk 10 crore for the posting of 36 Deputy Commissioners nationwide. Furthermore, there are allegations of tender manipulation at the Dhaka South City Corporation and collecting 10 to 30 percent commissions from development project tenders during his tenure at the Local Government Ministry.
Plundering Thousands of Crores by Inflating Project Costs
The complaint further details his involvement in tender manipulation within the Narayanganj and Cumilla City Corporations. It also alleges the embezzlement of thousands of crores by artificially inflating costs in rural infrastructure development and bridge construction projects under the Local Government Ministry.
Additional allegations include abnormal cost escalation in the third phase of the Dhaka WASA Saidabad Water Treatment Plant project and the misappropriation of funds by increasing the budget of the Sheikh Russel Mini Stadium project by Tk 1,200 crore.
The complaint further goes that transactions worth millions of taka occurred regarding recruitments, transfers, and promotions in the Ministry of Youth and Sports. It also mentions the bribery-based appointment of former LGED Chief Engineer Md. Abdur Rashid Khan and the appointment of Abdul Latif Khan as CEO of the Gazipur City Corporation.
National Citizen Party (NCP) spokesperson Asif Mahmud has denied the corruption allegations.
Responding with sarcasm in a Facebook post following the publication of the news today, he wrote, "If you find anything abroad during the investigation, just give me 10%, I am having a hard time getting by."
He later told reporters that he considers the Anti-Corruption Commission's (ACC) action to be harassment.
Asif Mahmud, a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, served as an advisor in the interim government formed after the fall of the Awami League government in the student-people mass uprising in August 2024. He initially took charge of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and was later also given charge of the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives.
On December 10, 2025, ahead of the parliamentary elections, Asif stepped down from his advisory position to enter active politics and joined the NCP. He is currently preparing to contest the Dhaka South City Corporation elections as a mayoral candidate amid the ongoing ACC investigation.
The document highlights the involvement of his two sisters in laundering money abroad. It further mentions an allocation of Tk 450 crore for rural infrastructure development in his native upazila, Muradnagar, alleging that he exerted influence over project allocation and local administration to collect funds. Additionally, allegations of bribe mediation and abuse of power have been raised against his father, Mahmudul Alam Bhuiyan.
