Administrator says NCP's Asif 'took' Tk 150mn and Hasnat Tk 100mn from Cumilla Zilla Parishad

Cumilla Zilla Parishad Administrator Mostak Mia has alleged that National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain took Tk 150 million and Hasnat Abdullah Tk 100 million from the district council’s revenue fund.

He said, “The interim government had a certain character. They plundered in the name of coordination.

“Asif Mahmud of Muradnagar took away Tk 150 million from our own revenue fund.”

“Another one is Hasnat Abdullah. He took away Tk 100 million,” he added.

Mostak made these remarks on Saturday during a discussion and prayer event organised at the Cumilla District Shilpakala Academy on the occasion of the 45^th death anniversary of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.

The district council administrator holds the position of assistant organising secretary of the BNP’s Cumilla division.

Asif is currently the spokesperson for the NCP, and Hasnat is the chief organiser of the party’s southern region, alongside being a member of parliament for the Cumilla-4 constituency.

When bdnews24.com sought details about the alleged withdrawal of money from the district council’s revenue fund, Mostak’s mobile phone was answered by his personal assistant, Shyamal Debnath, who said Mostak was busy attending an event.

Asked about Mostak’s remarks, Shyamal said: “More money was taken from the welfare budget for Asif Mahmud’s Muradnagar and Hasnat Abdullah’s Debidwar than for other Upazilas.

“This created discrimination against other Upazilas. Sir [Administrator Mostak] was referring to that.”

He said the funds were taken shortly before the election.

However, the details on the budget allocated to each Upazila at the time and development projects for which the funds had been disbursed could not be immediately verified.

Efforts are under way to obtain comments from Asif and Hasnat.