From July Uprising leader to graft probe: Former Yunus govt advisor Asif Mahmud under scanner

Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain (Courtesy: Facebook) Bangladesh’s anti-graft agency said Friday it has sought details of the financial transactions of Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, a prominent leader of the 2024 “July Uprising” that ousted the Sheikh Hasina government, as part of a money-laundering investigation.Mahmud and his wife have been accused of laundering $1.05 billion during his tenure as an adviser in the Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration, which governed Bangladesh following Sheikh Hasina’s ouster. The Yunus-led administration stepped down after the February 12 elections, which were won by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).“We have asked the Financial Intelligence Unit to provide comprehensive information on the financial transactions and assets of Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain and his wife,” an Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) spokesman told reporters, PTI reported.A key allegation against Bhuyain is that he was involved in laundering Taka 11,000 crore across five countries, including Taka 4,500 crore allegedly siphoned off to Dubai. He is also accused of using illicit funds to purchase land in Portugal.Bhuyain has said that, if found guilty, he would rather serve a p...