A petition was filed with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday seeking an investigation into alleged large-scale bribery – estimated at around Tk 100 crore – linked to the transfer of sub-registrars, implicating former interim government adviser Asif Nazrul and his personal secretary Md Masum.
The complaint was lodged by Supreme Court lawyer Barrister M Sarwar Hossain, attaching a newspaper report detailing the alleged irregularities.
According to the report, during an eight-month period under the interim government, bribery amounting to around Tk 100 crore allegedly took place in connection with the transfer of sub-registrars under the Ministry of Law. It also alleged that no proper transfer policy was followed during the tenure of then Law Adviser Asif Nazrul.
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Evidence was reportedly found that transfer orders were even suspended when promised bribe payments were not made. In some cases, officials were transferred three to four times within just six to seven months.
Between October 2024 and April 2025, at least 282 out of the 403 sub-registrars under the Directorate of Registration were transferred. Among them, at least 200 allegedly secured postings to preferred sub-registry offices through bribery.
The report claims that each official paid between Tk 50 lakh and Tk 60 lakh to obtain postings at desired offices. It also noted that such a large number of transfers within just eight months had never occurred before.
According to existing transfer policies, sub-registry offices are categorised into ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ grades, and officials of corresponding grades are supposed to be posted accordingly. However, the report alleged that these policies were ignored during the period in question.
It further said several ‘B’ and ‘C’ grade sub-registrars were posted to higher-grade offices in exchange for bribes, while some ‘A’ grade officers were reportedly transferred to lower-grade offices as a form of punishment for refusing to pay bribes.
In many instances, officials were transferred repeatedly, and some even received fresh transfer orders a day before joining their newly assigned offices.
As the allegations of transfer-related corruption intensified, the Ministry of Law issued a notice on June 1 last year warning that there was no scope for financial transactions in the transfer or posting of district registrars and sub-registrars.
The notice also urged all concerned to remain cautious against any offers, inducements or fraud by dishonest individuals or groups.
However, the report alleged that large-scale bribery in transfers had already taken place before the notice was issued, and no further transfer orders were issued afterward.