State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam has accused Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, an advisor to the former Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, of bypassing core protocol while approving a project file without the concerned secretary's signature.
The state minister raised the allegation during a press briefing at the Secretariat on Saturday.
Asif Mahmud categorically denied the allegation, dismissing it as a clear demonstration of "administrative ignorance of the government's rules of business".
Shahe Alam described the alleged file clearance by the former advisor as "completely illegal" and framed it as part of a broader pattern of “institutional misconduct”.
"Massive institutional irregularities and abuse of power took place within the Local Government Division under previous administrations,” he said.
“The current administration is taking strict measures to prevent such corruption and uncover the true picture," Shahe Alam said.
The government has formed a seven-member investigation committee to scrutinise the operations of the Local Government Division and its subordinate departments from 2009 to 2026.
Convened by the director general of the Local Government Division, the committee has been ordered to submit its findings within 60 working days.
Shahe Alam also alleged severe financial corruption in road and bridge construction projects across the country.
He specifically claimed that in Pirojpur, around Tk 60 billion was withdrawn for a mega project following the tender process without any actual work being executed on the ground.
Asif Mahmud handled multiple portfolios during the interim government's tenure, including the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives.
This is not the first time his administrative habits have faced scrutiny, in September, last year, Chittagong City Corporation Mayor Shahadat Hossain accused Asif of taking critical ministry project files home.
Following the state minister's press briefing, Asif Mahmud went live on his verified Facebook account to address the allegations, calling them completely baseless.
"Those bringing these charges do not have even an elementary understanding of the government's Rules of Business," Asif countered.
"When a file reaches an advisor’s desk, it passes through different administrative tiers and arrives with necessary official notes or signatures."
Explaining the bureaucratic procedure, the former advisor said: "If a secretary is on leave or unable to sign a file for any valid reason, the file is forwarded to the advisor only after receiving clearance from an officer-in-charge or a senior secretary, in compliance with the ministry's Rules of Business.
“The advisor merely gives the final executive nod. Claiming a file was passed without a secretary's signature is nothing but administrative ignorance."
Asif maintained that his administration maintained absolute transparency throughout its tenure and welcomed any fair investigation.
"Inquiries into the corruption of past years should absolutely happen, but it must not be politically motivated or done to intentionally harass individuals," he added.
