Advisers Mahfuj Alam and Asif Mahmud to resign today

Two student representatives serving as advisers to the interim government are set to resign today, Wednesday. The two advisers are information and broadcasting adviser Mahfuj Alam and local government adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain.

The information has been confirmed by responsible government sources, although none were willing to speak on the record.

The election commission (EC) may announce the schedule for the 13th National Election either this evening (Wednesday) or tomorrow, Thursday. According to relevant government sources, the two advisers will resign before the schedule is announced. On Tuesday, both advisers informed government authorities of their intention to step down.

Meanwhile, adviser Asif Mahmud has called a press conference at the Secretariat at 3:00 pm today. A press release sent by the Ministry of Local Government’s Public Relations Officer, Md Salauddin, said the adviser would speak on contemporary issues.

However, sources close to the government and to Asif Mahmud say the press conference may have been called to formally announce his resignation.

According to responsible government sources, several senior advisers met Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at Jamuna yesterday. Advisers usually meet there every Tuesday, alongside a luncheon. At yesterday’s meeting, the issue of the two advisers’ resignations was raised. By evening, government officials were certain that both advisers would resign on Wednesday.

Sources say that the top leadership of the interim government had advised Mahfuj Alam and Asif Mahmud to resign by mid-September. However, they had asked for more time. During that period, Mahfuj Alam had expressed his wish to remain in office until the end of the government’s term, saying he would not contest the election if he stayed.

Later, in mid-November, the two advisers were again urged by the highest level of government to step down, according to relevant sources.

Government-linked sources say that many at the highest levels of the interim government, including within the Advisory Council, broadly agree that once the election schedule is announced, it would not be appropriate for the two student representatives to remain in the government. Whether or not they contest the election, they would need to resign. Ultimately, having understood the government’s position, the two advisers are now set to step down just before the schedule announcement.

Multiple attempts were made by phone to contact Mahfuj Alam and Asif Mahmud for comment. Text messages were also sent to their mobile phones, but no response was received.

After the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on 5 August last year, an interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus was formed on 8 August. Three representatives of the student leaders who led the July mass uprising were included in the government. Among them, Nahid Islam was appointed adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Asif Mahmud was initially appointed Labour Adviser and later given charge of the Ministry of Local Government. Mahfuj Alam first served as Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser with the rank of adviser.

In February this year, student leaders of the July uprising launched a new political party, the National Citizen Party (NCP). Nahid Islam resigned from the Advisory Council to become the party’s convener. Mahfuj Alam was then appointed Adviser for Information and Broadcasting.

Although Mahfuj Alam and Asif Mahmud do not hold any formal positions in the NCP, they are considered influential within the party.

Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud has already stated that he intends to contest the election from Dhaka. On 9 November, he applied to change his voter registration to Dhanmondi. Since then, speculation has grown that he may contest from the Dhaka-10 constituency (Dhanmondi, Kalabagan, New Market and Hazaribagh).

There have even been reports that he may seek to contest with support from or in understanding with the BNP. However, in its second phase of candidate announcements on 4 December, the BNP named candidates for 36 constituencies, including Dhaka-10.

As a result, it remains unclear whether Asif Mahmud will contest as an independent candidate or under the banner of any political party, and what his eventual political affiliation will be.

Mahfuj Alam’s ancestral home is in the Lakshmipur-1 constituency, where the BNP had not announced a party candidate for a long time. However, on Monday, Bangladesh LDP Chairman Shahadat Hossain Selim joined the BNP along with his party leaders and activists, and the BNP announced that he would be nominated from Lakshmipur-1.

This development has greatly reduced the possibility of Mahfuj Alam contesting in understanding with the BNP from that seat.

Ahead of the national parliamentary election, political parties are working to form alliances. On Sunday, a new alliance was launched comprising the NCP, AB Party, and the Rashtra Sangskar Andolon. The NCP is currently finalising its list of candidates for different constituencies. Many are watching closely to see whether Mahfuj Alam and Asif Mahmud seek NCP nominations.