Two advisers in the interim government, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan and Md Mahfuz Alam, have resigned from the advisory council.
They submitted their resignation letters to Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus during a meeting on Wednesday evening (December 10).
The Chief Adviser’s Office confirmed the development to BBC Bangla.
According to sources, the Chief Adviser’s press wing has called a news conference to brief the media on their resignations. The briefing is scheduled for 6:15 pm.
The interim government, led by Professor Yunus, was formed on August 8 last year, following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5. Three student leaders who had played a prominent role in the July mass uprising were inducted into the administration as advisers.
Among them, Nahid Islam was initially given responsibility for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Asif Mahmud was appointed adviser for the Ministry of Youth and Sports and later, after a redistribution of portfolios, also given charge of the Ministry of Labour. Mahfuj Alam first joined the government as Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser with the rank of adviser. Following another reshuffle, Asif Mahmud was assigned the Ministry of Local Government in addition to Youth and Sports.
Subsequently, Nahid Islam resigned from the advisory council to take on responsibilities in the newly formed political party, the National Citizen Party (NCP). Mahfuj Alam later assumed charge of the information ministry.
Speculation about the imminent resignation of Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud and Information and Broadcasting Adviser Mahfuj Alam intensified after the likely timing of the election schedule announcement became public.
Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, at an urgently convened press conference, Asif Mahmud said he would contest the upcoming election. However, he did not clarify from which constituency or under which party banner he would run. In response to questions from journalists about his resignation, he said the Chief Adviser’s press wing would provide information on that matter.
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