Interim govt advisers disclose assets; CA’s net worth rises by Tk 1.23cr

The disclosures cover assets up to June 30 of the last fiscal year and follow earlier commitments to ensure transparency and accountability in public office.

According to the official disclosure, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus reported total assets worth Tk 15.62 crore as of June 30, up from Tk 14.01 crore a year earlier—an increase of Tk 1.61 crore. Officials said the rise was mainly due to the encashment of savings certificates, higher deposits in savings and fixed-term accounts, and inherited shares.
The statement shows that Professor Yunus holds financial assets worth Tk 14.77 crore, compared to Tk 13.19 crore in the previous year. His non-financial assets, including land and property, stood at Tk 0.21 crore, slightly higher than Tk 0.21 crore last year. He also reported overseas assets amounting to Tk 0.65 crore, up from Tk 0.62 crore.

His wife, Afrozi Yunus, declared total assets of Tk 1.28 crore, down sharply from Tk 2.12 crore a year earlier, reflecting a decrease of Tk 0.84 crore. Her financial assets declined significantly to Tk 0.05 crore from Tk 0.95 crore, while her non-financial assets increased to Tk 1.23 crore from Tk 1.16 crore. She has liabilities of Tk 0.17 crore, while Professor Yunus reported no personal liabilities.

Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed declared total assets exceeding Tk 7.16 crore, slightly up from Tk 7.10 crore the previous year, with no liabilities. His wife, Parveen Ahmed, reported assets exceeding Tk 5.38 crore, up from Tk 4.64 crore, along with business liabilities of more than Tk 3.12 crore.

Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud reported assets exceeding Tk 16.22 crore, up from more than Tk 15 crore. He attributed the increase to bank interest income and earnings from agreements with real estate developers.

Law Adviser Asif Nazrul disclosed assets of Tk 1.61 crore, up from more than Tk 1.48 crore last year. His wife, Sheila Ahmed, reported Tk 2.45 crore, compared to Tk 2.01 crore previously.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain declared assets exceeding Tk 2.93 crore, up from Tk 2.86 crore. His wife, Jahan Ara Siddiqui, reported assets exceeding Tk 3.66 crore.

Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam reported assets of more than Tk 2.77 crore, while his wife, Laila Arzu, declared more than Tk 1.13 crore.

Housing and Public Works Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan disclosed assets of Tk 2.53 crore, up sharply from Tk 0.98 crore, mainly due to inherited residential and agricultural properties. His wife, Saira Rahman Khan, reported assets exceeding Tk 5.83 crore, with liabilities of Tk 0.09 crore.

Education Adviser Chowdhury Rafiq-ul Abrar (C R Abrar) declared assets exceeding Tk 7.57 crore, while his wife, Professor Tasneem Areffa Siddiqui, reported more than Tk 8.29 crore.

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan reported assets exceeding Tk 6.72 crore, and his wife, Dilruba Kabir, declared Tk 3.18 crore.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan disclosed Tk 1.13 crore in assets, down from Tk 2.25 crore, while her husband, Abu Bakar Siddique, reported more than Tk 1.90 crore.

Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin emerged as the wealthiest among the advisers, reporting assets of Tk 91.65 crore, up from Tk 91.11 crore. His wife, Ifsia Mahin, declared assets exceeding Tk 2.10 crore.

Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki reported assets of Tk 2.15 crore, slightly down from Tk 2.27 crore. His wife, actress Nusrat Imroz Tisha, declared Tk 2.99 crore, up from Tk 1.40 crore, along with liabilities of Tk 1 crore.

Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum disclosed assets exceeding Tk 6.24 crore, while her husband reported more than Tk 1.37 crore, down from Tk 2.88 crore.

Social Welfare Adviser Sharmeen S Murshid reported assets of Tk 10.94 crore, up from Tk 10.65 crore, while reducing her personal liabilities from Tk 2.86 crore to Tk 1.91 crore.

Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain reported assets of Tk 1.14 crore, up from Tk 0.88 crore.

National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman disclosed assets worth $4.64 crore and Tk 0.22 crore, primarily held overseas, including properties and movable assets, along with liabilities of $0.12 crore.

Among special assistants, retired General Abdul Hafiz reported assets of Tk 13.58 crore, up from Tk 12.73 crore. His wife, Ishita Sarwat, declared Tk 2.61 crore.

Former Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, who resigned last year, reported assets of Tk 0.15 crore with liabilities of Tk 28,669, while former Information Adviser Md Mahfuz Alam disclosed Tk 0.13 crore in assets, up from Tk 0.04 crore the previous year.

Officials of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) said the definitions of assets follow the Income Tax Act of 2023, aligned with international standards. Financial assets include cash, bank deposits, savings instruments, shares and dividends, while non-financial assets include land, houses, apartments, plots and other immovable properties.

Following the fall of the Awami League government in the student-led mass uprising on August 5, 2024, an interim government led by Professor Yunus was formed on August 8. In his address to the nation on August 25, Yunus pledged that all advisers would disclose their asset statements promptly as part of a broader anti-corruption drive. However, the delay in publication had drawn criticism in recent months.

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said on Monday that the disclosures would be made public within days, leading to the release of statements for all advisers, special assistants, envoys and security advisers on Tuesday.

Currently, the advisory council comprises 21 members, along with four officials holding adviser-rank positions and four special assistants with state minister rank.