Sunday, 10 August, 2025
ABM Abdus Sattar, a retired secretary and personal secretary to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, has levelled serious allegations of “rampant” or “unlimited corruption against eight unnamed advisers serving in the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
Sattar, also general secretary of the Officers’ Club and president of the Anti-Discrimination Employees’ Unity Forum, made the accusations during a seminar organised by the Bangladesh Administrative Service Association at Dhaka’s BIAM Auditorium on 8 August.
He claimed to possess evidence, noting that intelligence agencies are already in possession of such information.
He cited two instances as examples of the corruption: an assistant commissioner (land) allegedly demanded Tk 30 lakh to record ownership of a school’s land, and a UNO near Dhaka allegedly demanded Tk 20 lakh to approve a factory layout.
Additionally, Sattar questioned why no action was taken despite reports that an advisor’s assistant’s account held Tk 200 crore—and in other accounts, even up to Tk 400 crore.
He also criticised the appointment of individuals he deemed "inexperienced" to key ministries, specifically questioning whether Health Advisor Nurjahan Begum is qualified to lead the Ministry of Health, and whether one person should handle both the Local Government and Youth & Sports portfolios.
In response, Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid categorically denied the allegations as “baseless”, urging Sattar to submit any credible evidence to the relevant legal or investigative bodies immediately.
He emphasised that making sweeping statements without identifying those implicated or providing proof is irresponsible and detrimental to public confidence.
Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir sought to distance the party from Sattar’s claims. He asserted that the allegations were Sattar’s personal opinion and affirmed that the BNP has “full confidence in the integrity and competence” of the interim government’s advisers.
Context: The interim administration of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took office on 8 August 2024 following the student-led uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s government.
The administration pledged to hold free and fair elections by June 2026 and instituted reform efforts through bodies such as the Anti-Corruption Reform Commission, chaired by Transparency International Bangladesh’s head, Iftekharuzzaman.
However, reports from civil society groups like Ain o Salish Kendra suggest that governance and anti-corruption efforts remain inadequate.
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ABM Abdus Sattar, a retired secretary and personal secretary to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, has levelled serious allegations of “rampant” or “unlimited corruption against eight unnamed advisers serving in the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
Sattar, also general secretary of the Officers’ Club and president of the Anti-Discrimination Employees’ Unity Forum, made the accusations during a seminar organised by the Bangladesh Administrative Service Association at Dhaka’s BIAM Auditorium on 8 August.
He claimed to possess evidence, noting that intelligence agencies are already in possession of such information.
He cited two instances as examples of the corruption: an assistant commissioner (land) allegedly demanded Tk 30 lakh to record ownership of a school’s land, and a UNO near Dhaka allegedly demanded Tk 20 lakh to approve a factory layout.
Additionally, Sattar questioned why no action was taken despite reports that an advisor’s assistant’s account held Tk 200 crore—and in other accounts, even up to Tk 400 crore.
He also criticised the appointment of individuals he deemed "inexperienced" to key ministries, specifically questioning whether Health Advisor Nurjahan Begum is qualified to lead the Ministry of Health, and whether one person should handle both the Local Government and Youth & Sports portfolios.
In response, Cabinet Secretary Sheikh Abdur Rashid categorically denied the allegations as “baseless”, urging Sattar to submit any credible evidence to the relevant legal or investigative bodies immediately.
He emphasised that making sweeping statements without identifying those implicated or providing proof is irresponsible and detrimental to public confidence.
Meanwhile, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir sought to distance the party from Sattar’s claims. He asserted that the allegations were Sattar’s personal opinion and affirmed that the BNP has “full confidence in the integrity and competence” of the interim government’s advisers.
Context: The interim administration of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took office on 8 August 2024 following the student-led uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s government.
The administration pledged to hold free and fair elections by June 2026 and instituted reform efforts through bodies such as the Anti-Corruption Reform Commission, chaired by Transparency International Bangladesh’s head, Iftekharuzzaman.
However, reports from civil society groups like Ain o Salish Kendra suggest that governance and anti-corruption efforts remain inadequate.
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