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Published : 27 May 2026, 12:25 AM
Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, who served as a student advisor for the interim government, has said he was not a member of any so-called kitchen cabinet that some former officials claim influenced key state decisions.
The National Citizen Party (NCP) spokesperson addressed the resurfacing debate over the existence of an informal decision-making circle at an emergency press conference on Tuesday.
Former interim government advisor M Sakhawat Hossain, in a televised interview aired on Channel One, said that several major decisions during the 18-month tenure of the administration were taken outside the formal cabinet structure.
Sakhawat, speaking after the parliamentary election, had credited the interim government for steering the country through a volatile period but suggested that not all decisions were made within official forums.
“We were 27 members. But unfortunately, big decisions were not discussed even in [interim] cabinet. Most decisions were taken outside cabinet discussions,” he said in the interview.
Responding to a question about those remarks, Asif Mahmud was asked whether such a “kitchen cabinet” existed and whether he was part of it.
“No, you are the one who is saying there was a kitchen cabinet, but I was not a member of it. And now I am hearing that even in that so-called kitchen cabinet, not all decisions were made there,” he said.
On Monday, former foreign advisor Touhid Hossain told a TV station that a seven-member “kitchen cabinet” was responsible for making key government decisions
He claimed the group would meet every Tuesday. He also said that multiple advisors exerted influence even within his own ministry.
Touhid added that he had decided to resign on three separate occasions, but his resignation was not accepted.
Asif Mahmud also referred to recent discussions surrounding a trade agreement with the United States, saying there was confusion over how and by whom it was finalised.
“Khaliur [Rahman] apparently made the deal alone, I saw a report last day where Fouzul Kabir Khan said he did not know about it, Asif Nazrul also said he was unaware. Only the commerce minister and the current foreign minister from BNP knew and handled it. So there is no clarity,” he said.
The interim government was formed on Aug 8, 2024, three days after the fall of the Awami League government in a mass uprising led by students and citizens on Aug 5.
Muhammad Yunus was then appointed head of the interim administration.
After the one-and-a-half-year transitional period, the parliamentary election was held on Feb 12 this year, in which the BNP secured a majority and formed the government.
Khaliur, who served as national security advisor in the interim government, is now the foreign minister in the BNP-led cabinet.
Before the election, the interim government signed a trade agreement with the United States, which has since drawn political criticism and allegations that it was not in Bangladesh’s national interest.
Khaliur has said the agreement had the approval of both the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
However, Jamaat leaders have denied being consulted.
Addressing the controversy, Asif Mahmud said the NCP had already clarified its position on the matter.
“When the trade agreement with the United States was signed, those who are now in the National Citizen Party -- I had resigned from the government by then and was serving as its spokesperson -- I was part of the NCP at that time,” he said.
“Since the agreement was signed three days before the election, I could not have any official knowledge of it. And secondly, I have confirmed from the party leadership that no concern of the National Citizen Party was taken into account. I am clearly stating this...”
He added that although the agreement process allowed 90 days, it was concluded within a month, which he described as unusually rushed.
“Some say the current foreign minister, who came to the interim government through an understanding with the BNP, actually worked in alignment with them. So he pushed the agreement through quickly, just three days before the election, to shift responsibility onto the interim government,” he said.
“This has created confusion among the public and policymakers. The chief advisor has also made statements. We believe BNP executed this agreement politically but used the timing to place responsibility on the interim government,” he added.
He accused political actors of engaging in blame-shifting over the agreement.
“If the former foreign advisor says he did not know about the agreement, then we can only assume that if Khaliur Rahman acted alone, then as BNP’s current foreign minister he effectively executed it. Otherwise, the agreement should be reviewed or cancelled,” he said.
He also cited examples of Malaysia and other countries reportedly cancelling similar agreements, calling for transparency.
“This is a blame game in politics. People are being kept confused. We must move beyond this,” he said.
Asif Mahmud also raised allegations of irregularities in the leasing of cattle markets ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, claiming that informal local actors were operating unauthorised markets in several areas and collecting fees.
He also criticised recent Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) election processes, alleging nepotism and family-based representation in sports administration.
“Everyone’s identity is now tied to relatives -- father, uncle, cousin, nephew. It feels like we are living in a monarchy,” he said.
He accused the BCB structure of being overly influenced by family networks, calling it “familyisation” of cricket administration.
