Advisers Mahfuj, Asif Mahmud resign

Interim government’s Advisers Mahfuj Alam and Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain have resigned from their posts, the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing confirmed on Wednesday.

The two young advisers submitted their resignation letters to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at State Guesthouse Jamuna around 5pm, said a post on the Chief Adviser’s official facebook page.

The resignations would come into effect as soon as the Election Commission announces the schedule for the February general elections, the facebook post read. The Election Commission is set to announce the schedule at 6pm on Thursday.

After receiving the two advisers’ resignation letters, Prof Yunus wished them a bright future and success at an "even bigger stage." He urged them to remain engaged with initiatives that serve the country.

“The country will forever remember your contributions in leading the anti-fascist movement,” he said to the advisers. “I believe you will play a similar active role in the country’s democratic transition and democratic development.”

“What you have given to the nation in such a short period of time will never be forgotten. Your exit from the interim government is only a transition. Hopefully, in the future, you can play a bigger role at an even larger stage than the one you found in the cabinet. In the future, you must apply the experiences you earned while serving in the government.”

Earlier, in the day, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Adviser Asif Mahmud told reporters at the Secretariat that he would "certainly" contest the upcoming general elections.

Asif Mahmud, also the adviser at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, did not specify which party he would represent in the elections.

It is worth noting that Asif Mahmud has already registered as a voter of Dhaka-10 constituency, after transferring his voting area from Cumilla.

Mahfuj Alam is yet to clarify his planned activities after quitting the government.