Asif apologises for his father’s contractor’s licence

Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, adviser to the LGRD and sports ministries, has issued a public apology after it was revealed that his father had obtained a contractor's licence.

He made the apology on his verified Facebook page around 11:30am yesterday, expressing regret over his father's actions and offering clarifications.

"Around 9:00pm last night [Wednesday], a journalist contacted me regarding a contractor's licence issued in my father's name. After speaking to my father, I confirmed that he had indeed obtained the licence at the district level [issued by the district executive engineer]. I shared this information with the journalist, who later published it," the post read.

Asif acknowledged that the issue had sparked public discussion and criticism, prompting him to offer an explanation.

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He explained that his father is a schoolteacher and that a local contractor, seeking to facilitate work opportunities using his father's name, had advised him to obtain a licence. Acting on this advice, his father secured the licence.

"Any individual in the country is free to obtain a licence for business purposes. However, while I am responsible for the relevant ministry, my father's involvement in the contracting business clearly constitutes a conflict of interest. After explaining the matter, the licence has been cancelled today [yesterday] following my father's application," Asif wrote.

The adviser also clarified that the licence had not been used to apply for any work in the meantime.