Graft allegations: Personal officer, ex-APS of two advisers under ACC radar
The two are accused of lobbying and facilitating appointments and transfers in exchange for money
Highlights:
- Moazzem Hossain and Tuhin Farabi allegedly involved in corruption and lobbying activities
- Jubo Odhikar Parishad staged a march to the ACC demanding a probe into the alleged corruption
- Three Supreme Court lawyers filed a complaint, urging an ACC probe against them
- The complaint accuses the former APS and POs of facilitating appointments and transfers in exchange for bribes
- Adviser Asif Mahmud called for an ACC investigation to reveal the truth behind the allegations
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is scrutinising corruption allegations against a former assistant private secretary and personal officer of two advisers of the interim government.
Speaking to reporters following a regular briefing today (27 April), ACC Director General Md Akhter Hossain said intelligence operations have already been initiated against the two individuals – Md Moazzem Hossain, former APS of Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, and Tuhin Farabi, personal officer to Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum.
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Earlier, some media reports implicated the two in alleged corruption. Three Supreme Court lawyers also filed a complaint with the ACC yesterday, seeking an investigation into alleged corruption against the two.
According to the complaint, Md Moazzem Hossain has been accused of lobbying and facilitating appointments and transfers in exchange for money. Similar allegations have been made against Tuhin Farabi and Dr Mahmudul Hasan, who allegedly assisted in placing doctors, engineers, and other officials in key government positions through lobbying efforts.
The complaint also cites reports published in newspapers, claiming the accused individuals were involved in lobbying various ministries and departments, including local government, home, health, water resources, public works, and roads and highways.
It further alleges that they accepted and facilitated bribes in the process.
The ACC director general said, "The allegations involving the two assistants to advisers have come to our attention. We are actively working on the matter. Our intelligence unit is already conducting investigations.
"We will take necessary actions in accordance with ACC laws and regulations regarding the APS and PO in question."
Earlier in the day, Jubo Odhikar Parishad, the youth wing of Gono Odhikar Parishad, staged a march from the National Press Club to the ACC headquarters, demanding an investigation into the alleged corruption against the APS and the PO.
A delegation from the group later submitted a memorandum to the ACC.
Supreme Court lawyers – Nadim Mahmud, Yasin Alfaz, and Muhammad Shafiqul Islam – submitted their petition at the ACC's Segunbagicha office yesterday afternoon and urged the ACC to launch an investigation within 10 working days into alleged corruption involving hundreds of crores of taka.
The petition states that such activities constitute offences under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004, and therefore fall within the ACC's jurisdiction.
The lawyers requested the ACC to conduct a "visible and effective" investigation to uncover the truth behind the allegations.
Meanwhile, Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan addressed the issue in a Facebook post on Saturday, stating, "I have requested the ACC to investigate the allegations against former APS Moazzem. Whether the claims are baseless or true will be revealed through the investigation."
He added that he trusts the ACC's investigation will uncover the truth.
