Who may take over if two advisers resign

Two advisers, Mahfuj Alam and Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, may resign ahead of the upcoming elections. Both currently hold responsibilities in a total of three ministries.

If they step down from the advisory council, questions arise over whether new appointments will be made to take over these ministries or if their responsibilities will be redistributed among existing advisers. Government sources indicate that appointing new advisers at the last moment is unlikely, and the ministries are more likely to be reassigned among current advisers.

The schedule for the 13th national parliamentary elections is expected to be announced on Wednesday or Thursday. The possibility of the two advisers resigning to contest the elections has been widely discussed for some time. Many members of the current advisory council reportedly support their potential resignation, whether they decide to run or not.

To address current issues, Adviser Asif Mahmud has called an urgent press conference at the Secretariat on Wednesday (10 December) at 3:00 pm. During this conference, he may announce his resignation and decision to contest the elections. Strong speculation suggests that both advisers will resign by Thursday, with Thursday’s advisory council meeting expected to be their last.

Mahfuj Alam currently serves as adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, while Asif Mahmud oversees the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, as well as the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

Discussions indicate that Brigadier General (Retd) Dr. M Sakhawat Hossain, currently adviser to the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of Labour and Employment, may take over the Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives portfolio. Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan, currently responsible for the Ministry of Industries and the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, may also be assigned additional responsibility for the Local Government Ministry.

Meanwhile, Adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan, currently handling the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the Ministry of Water Resources, may take over the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. There is also discussion about appointing Professor Ali Riaz, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser, as adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Final decisions on these matters will be made by Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

Currently, the advisory council has 22 advisers besides the Chief Adviser. If the two resign, the number of advisers will decrease to 20. The Chief Adviser oversees five ministries and divisions, while all other advisers, except ten, handle multiple ministries and divisions.