‘How am I responsible for promotions made after I left office?’ Asif Mahmud challenges ACC probe

National Citizen Party (NCP) spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan has challenged the basis of an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) probe against him, saying one of the alleged irregularities involves promotions approved five months after he resigned from the interim government.

At a press conference at the National Press Club on Thursday, the former youth and sports adviser presented government documents and Administrative Tribunal rulings that he said contradicted key elements of the allegations.

The ACC has accused Asif of involvement in taking money over the cancellation and reassignment of 38 Upazila Youth Development Officers and preparations to collect around 2 crore taka in exchange for promoting 150 assistant officers and giving them preferred postings.

Asif said the second allegation concerned promotions formally approved on May 11, 2026 — months after he resigned as adviser on December 10, 2025, and after the BNP government assumed office on February 17.

“How can I be linked to promotions made during the BNP government’s tenure?” he asked.

On the first allegation, Asif said 112 assistant officers had been irregularly assigned higher responsibilities in November 2021 without formal promotion. An Administrative Tribunal later declared the arrangement illegal, and the ministry cancelled the order on December 9, 2025 as part of implementing the ruling, he said.

Asif also accused the ACC of publicly prejudging the case. He said its spokesperson initially told journalists that “prima facie truth” had been found in the allegations, before acknowledging in a journalists’ WhatsApp group that the phrase had been used mistakenly.

The ACC, however, issued no public correction, Asif said, arguing that the episode had damaged his political and social reputation.

He accused the anti-graft body of attempting to “politically harass” him and create a negative public perception through the media.

Asif said he would fully cooperate with any impartial and lawful investigation but was preparing legal action over what he described as defamatory remarks by the ACC spokesperson.

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