AG can contest polls holding office, claims Asaduzzaman

Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman has asserted that he is constitutionally permitted to contest national elections without resigning from his current post, stating that the role of Attorney General is not that of a government employee but that of the state’s chief legal representative.

Speaking to reporters at his office following the Appellate Division hearing on the restoration of the caretaker government system, Asaduzzaman cited Article 64 of the Constitution to justify his position. “The Attorney General is not a government employee. He is the lawyer of the state,” he said. 

“This is not a position within the civil service, and therefore, there is no legal bar to contesting elections – whether with or without resignation. This principle is already established.”

Asaduzzaman further clarified his role amid questions about impartiality, noting, “The Attorney General stands on the side of the state. If any action by the government is deemed unlawful or detrimental to the state’s interest, it is within my duty to oppose it. That is the essence of the law.”

He also dismissed concerns over potential conflicts of interest, insisting, “Elections can be held even while in office. There is no obstacle in the law.”

The Attorney General added that reports circulating on Wednesday, November 5, regarding his potential candidacy were based on incomplete or inaccurate information, claiming the news had not been properly disseminated.