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. The notice demands the unconditional withdrawal of Islam’s remarks claiming that “preliminary truth” was found in graft allegations against him.
In a message sent to the media today (11 September), the NCP said Akhtarul Islam, at a press briefing on 2 September, claimed that preliminary evidence supported allegations of irregularities in transfers, recruitment, and promotions during Asif Mahmud’s tenure as adviser.
The party stated that these remarks were widely circulated across various media outlets and social media platforms afterwards.
The NCP alleged that the statement, made without any formal investigation or concrete evidence, triggered a large-scale media trial against Asif Mahmud. This created a public perception that the allegations were already proven, damaging his personal and political reputation.
According to the party, Akhtarul Islam later sent a message to journalists in a WhatsApp group for ACC beat reporters, stating that his earlier remarks were made “by mistake” and requesting that the phrase “preliminary truth” be dropped from news coverage.
However, the statement made at the public press conference was never formally withdrawn or corrected, allowing the media trial and negative public perception to persist, the party noted.
The legal notice also highlighted factual inconsistencies in the allegations. While the ACC official claimed 38 upazila youth development officers were stripped of their current charge, the NCP stated the actual number was 112 and that the decision was implemented to enforce an Administrative Appellate Tribunal order.
Furthermore, the party said linking Asif Mahmud to the promotion of 150 assistant upazila youth development officers to upazila youth development officers was baseless. It noted that he resigned as adviser on 10 December 2025, while the promotions took place on 11 May 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 the future. It warns that failure to comply will result in legal action, including under Section 500 of the Penal Code for defamation.
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