Mountains of Corruption Allegations! Former Advisors Under Surveillance

Just seven days after the change of power in Bangladesh, an unprecedented situation has emerged. Hundreds of allegations of corruption and irregularities against almost all members of the recently departed interim government, including former Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, are now on the desk of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The transition of power, combined with allegations against the architects and associates of the July Revolution, has sparked fresh tensions within the country’s political landscape.

Among the allegations against former Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the most discussed involve irregularities concerning Grameen Kalyan and Grameen Telecom. Allegations filed by several Grameen Bank officials claim that Dr. Yunus embezzled a vast amount of money from these two institutions by forming a private trust. The complainants claim the primary objective of this trust was to secure benefits for Dr. Yunus’s family- a move they describe as a violation of existing laws and a tactic for tax evasion. Additionally, several serious allegations of money laundering abroad during his tenure have been submitted.

The scale of allegations against former Law Advisor Dr. Asif Nazrul is also significant. Claims have been made that he amassed hundreds of millions of BDT through a ‘transfer business’ involving the judiciary and sub-registrars. In an application to the ACC, Supreme Court lawyer Barrister M. Sarwar Hossain noted that massive bribes were exchanged during the irregular transfer of 286 sub-registrars in lucrative areas across the country. Specific allegations regarding the embezzlement of millions to secure bail for influential individuals are also currently under investigation.

Several other influential advisors are under the scanner as well. Eight separate allegations have been filed against Environment Advisor Syeda Rizwana Hasan for looting funds from various Department of Environment projects and for land grabbing. Questions have even been raised regarding her husband’s income over the past 16 months.

Former Energy Advisor Fauzul Kabir Khan faces allegations of policy-level corruption and receiving illegal benefits from private power generation companies, specifically the Summit Group.

Health Advisor Nurjahan Begum is accused of irregularities in procurement and tender manipulation, alongside claims of extreme failure in vaccination programs. The allegations hold her responsible for child fatalities caused by the nationwide measles outbreak.

Perhaps the most startling information concerns former Local Government Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain. ACC sources revealed that allegations of corruption amounting to nearly 1,000 million BDT have been filed against him, including details of modern financial crimes such as Bitcoin transactions and money laundering. Meanwhile, Mahfuz Alam, known as the ‘mastermind’ of the July Revolution, faces accusations of taking bribes in exchange for facilitating television licenses.

A senior official of the Anti-Corruption Commission, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the process of verifying the primary authenticity of each allegation has begun. If evidence is found, strict legal action will be taken.

Dr. Iftekharuzzaman, Executive Director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), described the situation as extremely sensitive. He believes that while it is essential to ensure justice for all to establish the rule of law, it must not turn into political vengeance.

Bangladesh currently stands at a complex crossroads. The desire for post-revolution reforms is clashing with corruption allegations against the very individuals associated with that revolution, posing a significant challenge to the country’s future stability. As a global promoter of human rights and non-violence, Pressenza is keeping a close watch on these developments.

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Khalid Ahmed: Senior Journalist and Contributor, Pressenza- Dhaka Bureau.