Asif Mahmud Shajib Bhuiyan, a representative of the student leadership from the July Mass Uprising and former adviser to the interim government, has announced his decision to contest the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election as an independent candidate for the Dhaka-10 constituency.
Mahmud made the announcement today, Friday, at 11:51 AM (local time) through a post on his verified Facebook page. In the post, he sought support, stating, “Your cooperation and support are desired.” The post also included an attached video.
Resignation and Election Schedule
Asif Mahmud and his fellow former student representative and adviser, Mahfuz Alam, submitted their resignation letters to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday afternoon. The resignation was accepted at the state guest house, Jamuna, and was set to be effective from Thursday evening following the announcement of the schedule for the 13th National Parliamentary Election and the national referendum.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin announced the schedule for both the National Election and the referendum on the implementation of the July National Charter on Thursday evening. The general election for the 300 parliamentary seats and the national referendum will both be held on February 12 of next year.
Constituency Details
The Dhaka-10 constituency encompasses the areas of Dhanmondi, Kalabagan, New Market, and Hazaribagh.
Before his resignation, Asif Mahmud was responsible for the Ministries of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, as well as Youth and Sports. Mahfuz Alam held the charge of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Mahmud’s candidacy for Dhaka-10 was anticipated. He had applied to change his voter area to Dhanmondi on November 9, which fueled discussions that he would be contesting from this specific constituency.
Other Candidates and Mahfuz Alam’s Plans
Mahmud will be facing other prominent candidates in Dhaka-10:
- Sheikh Rabiul Alam: Nominated by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and a member of its executive committee.
- Jasim Uddin Sarkar: The candidate for Jamaat-e-Islami. Sarkar is a Supreme Court lawyer and a central working committee member of Jamaat.
The National Citizens Party (NCP) is yet to announce its candidate for the seat.
Meanwhile, Mahfuz Alam, the other former adviser, is also set to participate in the upcoming election. His brother and NCP Joint Convener, Mahbub Alam, told Prothom Alo yesterday that, “Mahfuz Alam will contest the Lakshmipur-1 constituency. Discussions are ongoing regarding which party he will represent. No decision has been made yet, but the possibility of him joining the NCP or running as an independent is slim.”
