In the country’s current situation, a candidate must own around Tk10-20 crore to have a chance of winning voters' support in national elections, said Local Government and Rural Development Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan at a discussion round on Friday.

Aspirants can choose to contest without the sum, but they will not win, and therefore, will lose security depost, the adviser said.

He made the remarks to highlight the urgent need of state reforms, but also lamented that a once “anti-fascist group” is now doing “reactionary anti-reformist politics” to the detriment of the entire nation.

Due to the requirement of a huge “voter encouragement fund”, only those with undisclosed or illegal assets have the capacity to contest and win elections, said the adviser, one of the key leaders of last year’s anti-fascist uprising, at the session arranged by the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement at National Press Club.

Alternatively, if a candidate takes money from others to contest elections, he or she would feel compelled to serve their interests.

The country’s social-political and governance framework remains the same as during the fascist era, Asif Mahmud noted, adding that in this backdrop, it is nearly impossible for him and many others to contest elections.

He also lamented that a group, which fought against Awami League government’s fascism alongside others, used to talk about reforms during the Awami-era, but is now campaigning to delay reforms.

This practice would undoubtedly harm the nation, he said, and wondered how can it benefit the group in question. “Mujibist politics,” a term used to refer to Awami League’s fascist policies, is once again becoming relevant due to the “anti-reformist approach,” he said.