Former adviser to interim government and spokesperson for National Citizen Party (NCP), Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, has filed a writ petition in the High Court challenging the legality of press briefings held by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) claiming to have found primary evidence at the very start of inquiries into corruption and irregularity allegations, as well as their broadcast in the media.
The writ seeks directions to restrain the ACC from giving defamatory statements to news media through press briefings on matters under investigation or inquiry.
It also seeks to declare the press briefings conducted on 2 September and 13 September illegal and without lawful authority, alongside requesting an order for the official withdrawal of those statements.
On Monday, lawyer Zahirul Islam Musa filed the writ petition on behalf of Asif Mahmud in the relevant branch of the High Court.
The respondents named in the writ are the ACC Chairman, the commission’s deputy director (public relations officer), and assistant director (public relations officer).
The writ application mentions that during a briefing at ACC head office on 2 September, the deputy director of ACC announced that the commission had decided to initiate an inquiry after finding preliminary evidence in allegations of corruption regarding transfers, appointments, and promotions against former adviser Asif Mahmud and related individuals.
The petitioner contends that under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, finding primary evidence of an allegation is a matter to be determined based on the final results after an inquiry is completed.
The writ argues that ACC possesses no legal jurisdiction to claim finding preliminary truth at the very time of commencing an inquiry.
The application further mentions that on 9 September, the ACC secretary, in response to questions from news media, described the statement as a “slip of the tongue.”
The official concerned also acknowledged the statement as an unintentional mistake in a journalists’ WhatsApp group. However, the writ highlights that no notification was officially and clearly published in the press to formally withdraw the statement.
Following this, a legal notice was served on 10 September regarding the matter, but without taking it into account, the ACC assistant director held another press briefing on 13 September, the application alleged.
In that briefing, new allegations were brought forward, including the appointment of an administrator to Dhaka North City Corporation, posting of deputy commissioners (DCs), and irregularities in WASA, Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), tenders for various development projects, and money laundering abroad.
In the writ, Asif Mahmud has claimed these allegations to be baseless and untrue.
Regarding the cancellation of his additional responsibilities at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the application states that the decision was taken by order of the ministry in light of a judgment by the Administrative Appellate Tribunal.
Moreover, raising the issue of the promotion of 150 assistant youth development officers, the writ mentions that the promotion came into effect on 11 May 2026, nearly five months after Asif Mahmud’s resignation.
Consequently, he claimed that it is legally and practically impossible for him to have any involvement in that incident.
The writ alleges that these press briefings were conducted to run a “media trial” against Asif Mahmud and damage his social and political standing after he announced his candidacy for mayor in the upcoming Dhaka North City Corporation election.
He asserts that broadcasting such statements infringes upon fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 31 of the Constitution and runs counter to the Information Disclosure Policy.
Alongside seeking directions to restrain ACC from holding such press briefings on sub-judice or under-inquiry matters, the writ has prayed for an order directing the publication of an official notice withdrawing the statements already broadcast, with equal prominence.
