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Facebook status by Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan. | 抖阴精品 photo

Local government, rural development, and cooperatives ministry adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain on Thursday offered a public apology over his father obtaining a contractor鈥檚 licence.

Asif Mahmud, also the adviser for the youth and sports ministry, came up with the apology through a post on his verified Facebook page in the wake of a heavy criticism on the social media over obtaining the licence by his father Md Billal Hossain, who is a school teacher.


He stated, 鈥楳y father might not have understood the implications of the conflict of interest. Therefore, I am apologising on his behalf.鈥�

The issue of obtaining the聽 licence by Asif Mahmud鈥檚 father came to the fore following a Facebook post by Zulkarnain Sayer, a journalist for the Qatar-based media outlet Al Jazeera.

Asif Mahmud explained that at about 9:00pm on Wednesday, a journalist contacted him to inquire about a contractor鈥檚 licence issued in his father鈥檚 name.

鈥楢fter talking to my father, I learnt that he had indeed obtained a licence issued by the office of the district executive engineer. I confirmed this to the journalist, who then made a post, and a news report followed.

鈥楢s the issue sparked discussions and criticisms, I felt it necessary to offer an explanation,鈥� he stated.

He also said, 鈥楢 local contractor advised my father, the headteacher of Akubpur Yakub Ali Bhuiyan Public High School, to use his [my father] identity to get a licence in a bid to obtain contracts easily.鈥�

鈥楳y father following the suggestion received a contractor鈥檚 licence from the district executive engineer鈥檚 office. Any citizen can obtain a licence for business purposes. However, as I am currently serving in a responsible position at the relevant ministry, my father engaging in such a business creates a conflict of interest,鈥� he wrote.

鈥極nce this was explained to my father, the licence was cancelled today (Thursday) upon his request,鈥� Asif Mahmud mentioned, adding that no application for any work was submitted using the licence.

In his Facebook post, Asif Mahmud also included a copy of the order that cancelled the licence.

Earlier, the adviser鈥檚 father had obtained the licence in the name of M/S Israt Enterprise from the local government engineering department in Cumilla.