Legal notice seeks withdrawal of ACC official’s graft remarks on Asif Mahmud

National Citizen Party (NCP) Spokesperson and former Youth and Sports Adviser to the interim government, Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, has sent a legal notice to Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Deputy Director and Public Relations Officer Akhtarul Islam, demanding withdrawal of his remarks that “preliminary truth” was found in graft allegations against him.

In a message sent to the media on Friday, the NCP said Akhtarul Islam, at a press briefing on September 2, claimed that preliminary evidence supported allegations of irregularities in transfers, recruitment and promotions during Asif Mahmud's tenure as adviser.

The remarks were widely circulated by various media outlets and on social media afterwards, it said.

The party alleged that the statement, made without any formal investigation or concrete evidence, triggered what it said a large-scale media trial against Asif Mahmud, creating a public perception that the allegations were already proven and damaging his personal and political reputation.

According to the NCP, Akhtarul Islam later sent a message to journalists in a WhatsApp group for ACC beat reporters, saying his earlier remarks were made "by mistake" and requesting that the phrase "preliminary truth" be dropped from news coverage.

However, the party noted that the statement made at the public press conference was never formally withdrawn or corrected, allowing the resulting media trial and negative public perception to persist.

The legal notice also pointed out factual inconsistencies in the allegations. While the ACC official claimed 38 upazila youth development officers were stripped of their current charge, the NCP said the actual number was 112, and that the decision was implemented as part of enforcing an Administrative Appellate Tribunal order.

The party further said linking Asif Mahmud to the promotion of 150 assistant upazila youth development officers to upazila youth development officers was baseless, noting he resigned as adviser on December 10, 2025, while the promotions were made on May 11, 2026, five months after his resignation and three months into the BNP-led government's tenure.

The notice calls on the ACC official to unconditionally withdraw his remarks within 15 days and refrain from making unverified, unsubstantiated statements in future.

It warns that failure to comply will result in legal action, including under Section 500 of the Penal Code, which deals with defamation.