State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam has accused Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, an advisor to the former Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, of bypassing core protocol while approving a project file without the concerned secretary's signature.
The state minister raised the allegation during a press briefing at the Secretariat on Saturday.
Asif Mahmud categorically denied the allegation, dismissing it as a clear demonstration of "administrative ignorance of the government's rules of business".
Shahe Alam described the alleged file clearance by the former advisor as "completely illegal" and framed it as part of a broader pattern of "institutional misconduct".
"Massive institutional irregularities and abuse of power took place within the Local Government Division under previous administrations," he said.
"The current administration is taking strict measures to prevent such corruption and uncover the true picture," Shahe Alam said.
The government has formed a seven-member investigation committee to scrutinise the operations of the Local Government Division and its subordinate departments from 2009 to 2026.
Convened by the director general of the Local Government Division, the committee has been ordered to submit its findings within 60 working days.
Shahe Alam also alleged severe financial corruption in road and bridge construction projects across the country.
He specifically claimed that in Pirojpur, around Tk 60 billion was withdrawn for a mega project following the tender process without any actual work being executed on the ground.
Asif Mahmud handled multiple portfolios during the interim government's tenure, including the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives.
This is not the first time his administrative habits have faced scrutiny, in September, last year, Chittagong City Corporation Mayor Shahadat Hossain accused Asif of taking critical ministry project files home.
