Advisers of the recently departed interim government led by Muhammad Yunus are under intense scrutiny as the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) receives hundreds of complaints alleging billion-taka corruption, bail trading, judicial manipulation, embezzlement, tender fraud, and illicit foreign deals. Political leaders and watchdogs have urged swift investigations, warning that the former administration should not be allowed a "safe exit."
Allegations against the advisers are not new. On 9 August 2025, ABM Abdus Sattar, private secretary to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, claimed evidence of "unlimited corruption" involving eight advisers.
He alleged that Tk 200 crore was found in the APS account of one adviser without any enforcement action. He also questioned the competence of certain appointments, such as assigning two major ministries to an individual without experience.
In recent days, Socialist Party General Secretary Bazlur Rashid Firoz demanded investigations into alleged corruption and election sabotage, claiming Tk 1000 crore irregularities involving a student adviser and Asif Nazrul.
He also warned that a secret trade deal with the United States could force Bangladesh to import agricultural goods worth Tk 42,000 crore over five years, which could severely impact local farmers.
Former Gono Odhikar Parishad member Rashed Khan also called for financial scrutiny of all appointees and criticized the failure to publish ministry accounts that could have ensured transparency.
Several complaints directly target Muhammad Yunus, alleging that he established a personal trust to evade taxes and divert funds from Grameen Welfare and Grameen Telecom, with claims that the trust existed mainly for family benefit and facilitated laundering large sums abroad. He is also accused of appointing acquaintances and relatives to high-level positions, including Mahbub Morshed, now facing significant corruption charges.
Legal controversy also centers on Asif Nazrul, who faces over a dozen allegations including case trading, bail trading, and manipulation of judicial postings. Complaints allege he arranged bail for a VIP accused for Tk 20 crore despite an arrest warrant and accepted payments between Tk 50 lakh and Tk 2 crore to transfer judges. Similar allegations of embezzlement were reported in sub-registrar postings in areas such as Uttara, Badda, Gulshan, and Savar.
Environmental adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan faces at least eight complaints, including embezzlement of project funds and unlawful occupation of property. Some complaints question whether her husband controls assets belonging to a former state minister. Former energy adviser Muhammad Fawzul Kabir Khan has been accused of misappropriating funds from Summit Group and conducting illegal transactions with private power companies. Health adviser Nurjahan Begum faces allegations of tender fraud and irregularities in a Tk 9000 crore nutrition and healthcare programme, including inflated computer costs and excessive travel allowances.
The highest number of complaints reportedly target former student adviser Asif Mahmud, involving alleged corruption worth about Tk 1000 crore, bribes, money laundering abroad, and illegal Bitcoin transactions. Former information adviser Mahfuz Alam has been accused of accepting bribes for issuing television channel licenses.
On 22 February 2026, Deshpremik Nagorik Samaj submitted a complaint alleging commission trading and corruption in proposed foreign leases of container terminals at Chittagong Port.
The complaint named former shipping adviser M Sakhawat Hossain, special envoy Lutfe Siddiqui, BIDA chairman Ashiq Chowdhury, and port chairman SM Moniruzzaman.
Other advisers, including Ali Riaz, Monir Haider, and culture adviser Mustafa Sarwar Farooqui, have also been named in corruption complaints. According to ACC officials, verification is ongoing and only complaints with prima facie evidence will proceed to formal investigation.
Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, cited allegations that one adviser fled abroad to avoid arrest after pressuring a bank to release Tk 100 crore to a supplier while attempting to halt a commission investigation.
He also mentioned irregularities in a telecommunications project, whose reported cost rose from Tk 65 crore to Tk 326 crore despite feasibility concerns.
Transparency International Bangladesh Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman emphasized that "no one is above the law" and urged that complaints be investigated legally, without harassment.
Policy economist Debapriya Bhattacharya called for an independent transition investigation team to examine possible irregularities, controversial decisions, and foreign agreements of the interim administration before state agencies initiate legal proceedings.
