The government has urged former government official ABM Abdus Sattar to submit any credible evidence he may have regarding alleged misconduct by unnamed advisers, following media reports of unsubstantiated accusations.
In a statement issued on Saturday, Cabinet Secretary Dr Sheikh Abdur Rashid said the administration has taken note of newspaper reports in which Sattar made vague accusations against unnamed advisers.
“We strongly reject these allegations. Making broad claims without evidence or identifying individuals is both irresponsible and detrimental to public trust,” Abdur Rashid said.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, integrity and accountability, urging Sattar to submit any credible evidence of misconduct to the appropriate legal and investigative authorities.
“Until such evidence is presented, we remind all stakeholders that public discourse should be grounded in facts, not speculation,” the statement added.
Civil service urged to 'break from the past', embrace reform
Earlier on Friday (August 8), at a seminar titled ‘Expectations of the July Mass Uprising and Public Administration of the Future’, ABM Abdus Sattar claimed he had evidence of what he described as "unlimited corruption" involving eight advisers of the interim government.
He alleged that no key appointments or transfers are made without direct communication with these advisers.
Sattar also mentioned that it is ‘painful’ that no action is taken even when Tk 200 crore is allegedly found in the account of an adviser’s assistant personal secretary (APS).
He questioned, “Can Nurjahan Begum run a ministry like Health? Is it appropriate to assign two major ministries — Local Government and Youth & Sports — to an inexperienced adviser?”
He said corruption has not decreased in the year following the fall of the Awami League government in the student-public uprising.
As examples, he alleged, an Assistant Commissioner (Land) demanded Tk 30 lakh to register a school's land, and a UNO from the outskirts of Dhaka requested Tk 20 lakh to approve a factory layout.