Former adviser of the interim government and a frontline leader of the July Uprising, Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain on Monday collected the nomination form to contest the upcoming national election from the Dhaka-10 constituency comprising Dhanmondi, Kalabagan, New Market and Hazaribagh areas.
He collected the nomination paper from the office of the Assistant Returning Officer in Dhanmondi on Monday morning.
Talking to Journalists after collecting the nomination form, Asif Mahmud said if elected, he would utilize his experience as an adviser in the interim government.
“This experience was extremely necessary. We have now learned how to solve problems and which offices are responsible for which tasks?” he said.
However, he said the election campaign involves significant risks, which has made it difficult to conduct normal campaigning.
Calling on the government to ensure the safety of candidates, Asif said: “If we cannot move freely, there is a strong possibility that we will fall behind significantly in election campaigning. Therefore, I believe that the government, along with its intelligence agencies, should take the highest possible measures to provide security to those who are at risk, not just me.”
Claiming that various groups are attempting to destabilize the country and sabotage the election, he said: “They do not want any election to take place without the Awami League. We want to state clearly that Bangladesh’s democratic transition is now critically important, for the country’s overall stability, sovereignty and independence.”
In the Dhaka-10 constituency, comprising Dhanmondi, Kalabagan, New Market, and Hazaribagh areas, the BNP has nominated its executive committee member Sheikh Rabiul Alam, while Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has nominated supreme court lawyer Jashim Uddin Sarker.
Earlier on December 12, Asif Mahmud announced in a video message posted on social media platform Facebook that he would contest the 13th National Parliamentary Elections as an independent candidate from the Dhaka-10 constituency.
Prior to this, Asif Mahmud resigned from the advisory council on the evening of December 10. He had served as an adviser to the interim government as a representative of the students who led the July uprising.
During his tenure, he was responsible for the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, as well as the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
