Serious allegations have surfaced against Agriculturist Md Yunus Ali, Assistant Private Secretary (APS) to the Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, regarding his alleged influence over administrative activities within the ministry.
The allegations include controlling access to the minister, influencing administrative decisions, lobbying for transfers and postings, involvement in project director appointments, and allegedly seeking financial benefits in connection with government allocations and file processing.
The claims have emerged from political figures, public representatives, ministry insiders and various media reports. According to the complainants, the alleged excessive influence of an APS in key decision-making processes has created discomfort among officials and raised concerns over administrative transparency.
In a post from his verified Facebook account, Dr Khondaker Akbar Hossain Babul alleged that the conduct and activities of Agriculturist Md Yunus Ali have created a situation where many believe he is exercising authority beyond the scope of his official responsibilities.
Dr Babul claimed that despite visiting the ministry for two consecutive days, he was unable to meet Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, while certain selected individuals were allegedly granted access during the same period. He further alleged that many party leaders, activists and well-wishers who stood by the party during difficult times are also struggling to secure meetings despite genuine needs.
According to him, although there were instructions from the Secretary General not to create barriers for visitors seeking appointments, the directive was allegedly not properly implemented.
Similar concerns have also been raised by several public representatives. They claimed that meeting the minister has become difficult without approval from APS Yunus Ali, allegedly creating complications in development activities, administrative coordination and urgent decision-making processes in different areas.
Officials from various agencies under the Local Government Division have also reportedly expressed dissatisfaction. Ministry sources claimed that many officials have had to wait for extended periods to meet the minister regarding important administrative matters. They said such delays have affected project approvals, postings, policy decisions and routine official activities.
There are also allegations that Yunus Ali attempted to influence decisions involving several organisations under the ministry, including Bangladesh Milk Producers’ Co-operative Union Limited (Milk Vita), different WASAs, city corporations and the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). Allegations of interference in Milk Vita’s recruitment and administrative activities have also been raised.
Serious allegations have further emerged regarding transfers and postings of officials at different levels of the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE). According to sources, financial transactions involving significant amounts have allegedly taken place in connection with appointments ranging from executive engineers to senior positions.
Recent allegations have also surrounded the posting of Executive Engineer Md Nasrullah in Cox’s Bazar district. However, independent comments from the individuals concerned regarding these allegations could not be obtained.
Sources related to autonomous organisations, city corporations, municipalities and district councils under the Local Government Division have also alleged that commissions were sought in exchange for releasing development allocations. They claimed that files related to various development projects were deliberately delayed to secure financial advantages.
Allegations have also been made regarding influence over government procurement and tender approval processes. Multiple sources claimed that unethical benefits were allegedly sought during file processing before proposals were forwarded to the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP). They further alleged that important files were delayed before being presented to the minister when such demands were not fulfilled.
Recently, several postings within the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) sparked renewed discussion. A report published by the Daily Jugantor on June 28, 2026, raised questions regarding executive engineer appointments in Jamalpur and Mymensingh. The report alleged that ministry-level influence played a role in assigning important responsibilities to controversial officials.
Investigative journalist Zulkarnain Saer also raised concerns on social media, claiming that these postings had created questions within the administration and that there were allegations of external influence in the decision-making process.
Earlier, in another social media post on May 19, 2026, Saer questioned alleged attempts to bring former Executive Engineer Md Firoz Alam Talukder back into a significant position. It was alleged that pressure was applied on LGED to recommend his name as Project Director of the “Important Bridges on Rural Roads (2nd Phase)” project.
Additionally, a report published by the Daily Khola Kagoj on June 22, 2026, questioned the appointment process of several controversial officials as project directors in different projects. Allegations of ministry-level influence were also raised in connection with those processes.
Administrative observers said repeated allegations involving an APS have raised concerns about transparency and accountability within the ministry. They stressed the importance of an impartial investigation to verify the claims.
However, Agriculturist Md Yunus Ali’s response regarding the allegations could not be obtained.