On 4 March, former law adviser Asif Nazrul claimed to be free of corruption on his verified Facebook page. In a post titled “Asif Nazrul’s Corruption?”, he asserted that he had never engaged in corruption in his life – before, during, or after his tenure in government. He stated, “I have not committed an iota of corruption… I have not opened any new bank accounts, acquired new assets, or concealed any wealth in my tax returns. I have not committed corruption; the question does not even arise.”
How true is this statement?
An investigation by Daily Sun reveals that this claim is another deception of the nation. During his 18-month tenure across several ministries, he allegedly embezzled hundreds of millions through extensive corruption and irregularities. The former adviser, who claims to be honest, has reportedly become the owner of vast illicit wealth through transfer rackets, bail trading, deputy commissioner (DC) appointments, and the issuance of new recruitment agency licences. Most of these assets are held under pseudonyms. Over the last year and a half, the wealth of his distant relatives has multiplied. Even the two daughters of his ex-wife, Rokeya Prachy, are now owners of significant wealth. One of them is Asif Nazrrul’s biological daughter, in whose name a house was purchased in the elite New Eskaton area. The question remains: where did a 16- or 17-year-old student obtain the money to buy a house in such a prestigious neighbourhood? Asif Nazrul has allegedly kept his ill-gotten gains with distant relatives to maintain his “saintly” image. Let us look at some instances of his alleged corruption.
Record bribery in sub-registrar transfers
One of the most widely discussed allegations of corruption during Asif Nazrul’s 18-month “reign” concerns the transfer of sub-registrars. During this period, an estimated Tk100 crore was exchanged in bribes for these transfers alone within the Law Ministry. No policies were followed. There is evidence that transfer orders were stayed if the promised bribe was not paid. In some cases, individuals were transferred three or four times within six or seven months. Out of 403 sub-registrars, at least 282 were transferred, with at least 200 securing preferred postings through bribes. Allegations suggest that Asif Nazrul took up to Tk10 crore million for lucrative postings, while general transfers cost Tk50-60 lakh per person.
A syndicate was reportedly formed to manage these operations, consisting of his former PS Shamsuddin Masum, Moazzem Hossain, Abdul Alim Masum, Morshed Al Mamun Bhuiyan, Nure Alam, Azizul Haq, Mostafizur Rahman, and Rabiul Islam. It was an open secret that Masum acted as the “cashier”. Some claimed that not even the door of the Law Ministry opened without Masum’s approval. Eventually, Masum was transferred after allegedly embezzling a large sum from the adviser himself.
Unprecedented corruption in judge transfers
In June last year, an unprecedented event occurred in the lower courts. On 2 June, 252 judges were transferred simultaneously. This mass transfer, carried out without the advice of the Supreme Court, was seen as a direct interference in judicial independence. Investigations suggest that a powerful syndicate led by Asif Nazrul was behind this, allegedly generating hundreds of millions of taka from the “transfer business”.
Bail trading
There are allegations that Asif Nazrul facilitated the bail of numerous defendants in exchange for money. Notable cases include the bail of Transcom Group CEO Simin Hossain in three cases in a single day—a record in Bangladesh’s judicial history—by a court that reportedly lacked jurisdiction to grant such bail. Additionally, Gan Bangla’s Tapash reportedly secured bail and permission to travel abroad through Asif Nazrul’s intervention. Investigations suggest that at least two dozen individuals, including businessmen and former bureaucrats, received similar “services”.
Bribery in deputy commissioner (DC) postings
As the perceived “second most powerful person” in the interim government, Asif Nazrul allegedly exerted significant influence over administrative appointments. He reportedly collaborated with former Public Administration Secretary Mokhlesur Rahman to clear him of corruption charges in exchange for influence over DC appointments. Tensions arose when both Asif Nazrul and Student Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain proposed different names for the Chittagong DC post, both allegedly backed by large sums of money. Furthermore, it is alleged that Law Secretary Golam Sarwar was initially retained in exchange for a promise of Tk10 crore, but was removed when he failed to pay.
Corruption in recruitment agency licences
As the Adviser for Expatriate Welfare, Asif Nazrul allegedly approved 252 new recruitment agency licences despite recommendations from a government white paper committee to reduce the number of agencies to prevent human trafficking and fraud. It is reported that he charged between Tk1 crore and Tk2 crore per licence. While 252 were approved, another 260 applications were rejected, allegedly because they failed to pay through the designated channels.
Despite thousands of complaints against existing agencies for fraud and worker harassment, Asif Nazrul reportedly took no action against them due to alleged illicit financial ties.
In this manner, while presenting a façade of honesty, Asif Nazrul is alleged to have been involved in corruption amounting to billions of taka over the past 18 months.
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
