Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan has announced that he will contest the next parliamentary election from Dhaka, though he did not confirm when he would resign from the advisory council to participate in the polls.
On Sunday, Asif Mahmud registered as a voter at the election office on Green Road in Dhanmondi.
The Dhaka-10 constituency, which includes Dhanmondi, has not yet seen a candidate nomination from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
When asked whether he would join a political party, Asif Mahmud said, “At this moment, the plan is to contest as an independent candidate. The rest will be decided later.”
He also said there has been no discussion with the BNP regarding any seat-sharing arrangement. On the question of his resignation from the advisory council, he said the decision would depend on the higher authorities of the government.
Earlier, Asif Mahmud was listed as a voter in Muradnagar upazila under the Cumilla-3 constituency, where there was speculation that he might run for office.
However, BNP has nominated party vice chairman, four-time Member of Parliament and former state minister Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad in that seat. Facing a strong contender, Asif Mahmud has shifted his electoral focus to Dhaka.
Although it is not mandatory for a candidate to be a voter of the constituency they intend to contest, Asif Mahmud transferred his voter registration to Dhaka-10 within the timeline set by the Election Commission.
Explaining the decision, Asif Mahmud said he did not cast ballots in the 2018 and 2024 national elections. He added that since he plans to contest the election from Dhaka, he wants to remain in the capital on polling day and vote there as well.
