‘Thousands of crores stolen’: JCD demands trial of Asif Mahmud
Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) has come down heavily against former advisor and National Citizen Party spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, accusing him of corruption worth thousands of crores of taka and demanding his trial.
Speaking at a sit-in in front of the Election Commission (EC) headquarters on Monday, January 19, JCD General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir said, “The people of Bangladesh will ensure Asif Mahmud’s corruption is investigated through the ACC. His corruption is an open secret, and he must face justice on Bangladeshi soil.”
The protest, now entering its second day, comes amid growing concerns over alleged bias in postal ballots, political interference in the EC’s decisions, and controversial notifications regarding the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Student Union elections.
Protest intensifies outside EC
Several hundred Chhatra Dal leaders and activists gathered outside the EC building and surrounding areas, sitting on the road beyond the security cordon and raising slogans demanding accountability. Police, RAB, Navy, and Ansar personnel were deployed on high alert in response to the programme.
Dhaka University unit Chhatra Dal President Ganesh Chandra Roy Saha said, “The elections are scheduled to be held on February 12. We have extended our cooperation to ensure the elections are fair. A special group is conspiring with the elections, sending voters from one area to another to manipulate results.”
He declined to name the group, saying, “I do not want to give them hype. They are trying to commit irregularities using some people from the EC.”
Another Chhatra Dal leader alleged that student union elections at Dhaka University, Rajshahi University, and other campuses had already been tampered with through election engineering. “They want to repeat the same in the upcoming national elections. This conspiracy will not be allowed,” he warned.
Allegations against Asif Mahmud
Nasir directly accused Asif Mahmud of using his political positions for personal gain. “You played a leading role during July-August and later became an advisor. After that, you committed corruption worth thousands of crores of taka. The people of Bangladesh know this,” he said.
He further warned of political conspiracies surrounding the upcoming parliamentary elections. “In the new Bangladesh that we dream of, attempts to bring Jamaat-Shibir-Rajakar to power through postal ballots will not be accepted. The EC has failed to explain why postal ballots are being issued in the name of Jamaat. There is clearly a conspiracy involving two political parties regarding the February 12 elections.”
Sit-in concludes after EC talks
Yesterday, Sunday, the organisation had held a similar sit-in demanding accountability. On Monday afternoon, a five-member Chhatra Dal delegation entered the EC office for discussions. Following the meeting, Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib told activists, “Our statement on three key issues has been presented to the Election Commission. They have assured that these matters will be considered logically.” In light of this, the sit-in program was formally concluded on Monday.
Three key demands
The Chhatra Dal’s demands focus on:
Postal Ballot Bias: Alleged unfair and questionable decisions undermining trust in the electoral process.
Political Pressure on EC: Concerns that the EC is acting under influence rather than independently.
Controversial Notifications at SUST: Actions affecting student union elections, seen as a threat to democratic practices on campuses.
The ongoing protest highlights the continued influence of student political organisations in Bangladesh’s election discourse, particularly as concerns over corruption and electoral fairness intensify ahead of the national polls.