2 advisers of Bangladesh's interim government resign ahead of poll schedule announcement

Dhaka, Dec 10 (PTI) Two student leaders turned advisers of the interim government in Bangladesh tendered their resignations on Wednesday ahead of the Election Commission's announcement of the schedule for the polls in February.
     The resignation by Mahfuj Alam and Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain comes in wake of the Election Commission’s (EC) decision that no adviser can contest the polls while holding a position in the interim government.
     “Alam and Bhuyain have stepped down from their posts as advisers in the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus,” reported Prothom Alo newspaper, quoting sources in the chief adviser's office.
     Both Alam and Bhuyain -- who were heading the ministries of information & broadcasting and local government respectively -- were inducted as representatives of Students Against Discrimination (SAD), the organisation which led a violent street movement that toppled former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, 2024.
     Of the three SAD leaders appointed as advisers by Yunus, Nahid Islam quit in February to form the National Citizen Party (NCP), a political offshoot of the students' organisation.
     Bhuiyan earlier said he would resign to take part in upcoming elections, but Alam so far has made no comment in public about his future plans. However, neither of them have officially disclosed any link with NCP or any other political party.
     The EC on Tuesday said Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin would announce the schedule for the upcoming polls in the next two days.
     The EC had earlier clarified that no adviser can contest the polls while holding a position in the interim government.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)