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Rashed Khan
Rashed Khan, Political Assistant to the Prime Minister, has claimed that former interim government advisers Asif Mahmud and Mahfuj Alam sought to join the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and contest parliamentary elections under the party’s 'Sheaf of Paddy' symbol just prior to stepping down from their official positions.
In a statement posted on his verified Facebook profile on Sunday evening (October 25), Rashed Khan asserted that the BNP does not engage in opportunistic "biryani-sharing" politics, but remains dedicated to state reconstruction.
Detailing the sequence of events, Rashed Khan claimed that on the night immediately preceding his formal resignation, Asif Mahmud went to the residence of the current Home Minister to seek party induction and obtain confirmation to run as a candidate on the Sheaf of Paddy ticket. Mahfuj Alam was likewise keen to contest under the party's electoral symbol. As a result, both individuals visited the residences of then-BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and current Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed in succession, seeking party membership and confirmed nominations. However, the BNP leadership decided against fielding any advisers from the interim administration on the party’s official banner.
Rashed Khan further stated that after being denied an opening in the BNP, Asif Mahmud was compelled to join the National Citizen Party (NCP), where he currently finds himself politically sidelined due to his past controversies.
Addressing negotiations regarding parliamentary seat allocations with the NCP, Rashed Khan revealed that while top NCP leaders engaged with designated BNP representatives demanding a larger quota of constituencies, the BNP was unwilling to concede more than four seats. He claimed that this refusal led the NCP to forge an alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami in pursuit of additional seats and broader electoral benefits.
Regarding the NCP’s political programs demanding the resignation of the Home Minister, Rashed Khan declared that agitating until the very last day of the BNP government’s tenure would produce no outcome, noting that the Home Minister attained his current office through prolonged struggle and proven competence. Concluding his post, Rashed Khan emphasized that regardless of the pressure exerted by Jamaat and the NCP, the BNP firmly rejects transactional distribution of power and remains committed solely to the politics of national rebuilding.
