Dhaka, Apr 24 (V7N)- Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan, Advisor to the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, has publicly apologized for his father obtaining a contractor license—a move that sparked controversy over potential conflict of interest.

The apology came in a detailed post made from Asif Mahmud's verified Facebook account at 11:30 am on Thursday (April 24). In the post, he clarified that his father, a school teacher by profession and Principal of Akubpur Yakub Ali Bhuiyan Public High School, had received the license on the advice of a local contractor. The license was issued by the District Executive Engineer's Office.

“First of all, I apologize for my father's mistake,” wrote Bhuiyan. “Though legally any citizen can apply for a business license, my father's involvement in contractor licensing while I hold an advisory position in the relevant ministry clearly constitutes a conflict of interest.”

He further stated that his father had not applied for or engaged in any government work using the license. However, in view of the ongoing discussion and criticism, the license was formally canceled on Thursday at his father's request, and a copy of the cancellation order was attached to the post.

Bhuiyan emphasized that his father may not have fully understood the implications, and he apologized on his behalf. The incident gained public attention after investigative journalist Zulkarnain Sayer, affiliated with Qatar-based Al Jazeera, highlighted the matter in a Facebook post on Wednesday night.

The advisor’s swift acknowledgment and transparency have been noted by both media and the public, though discussions around conflict of interest in governance continue to stir broader debate.

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