Former adviser to the interim government and National Citizen Party (NCP) spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan has denied allegations that he was a member of the administration’s so-called “kitchen cabinet.”
Speaking at an emergency press conference at the NCP central office on Tuesday, Asif Mahmud said, “I was not a member of the kitchen cabinet.”
The issue surfaced following remarks made by former adviser Touhid Hossain in a recent interview, where the existence of a “kitchen cabinet” within the interim administration was discussed.
At the press conference, Asif Mahmud also rejected claims linking him to a trade agreement signed with the United States during the tenure of the interim government.
“There was no discussion with the NCP regarding the agreement,” he said. “The current foreign minister, who was then the national security adviser, Khalilur Rahman, signed the agreement three days before the election at the advice of the BNP in order to shift responsibility onto the interim government.”
He further alleged that the agreement was orchestrated by the BNP leadership, including party acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
“If the BNP wants, it can amend or even cancel the agreement. Many countries have cancelled agreements with the United States before,” he added.
Asif Mahmud also criticized the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) election process, accusing the BNP of promoting family-based influence in sports administration.
“In this year’s BCB election, no one became a councillor based on merit. Everyone came through family connections,” he said. “The BNP has turned sports into a family-controlled sector. During the interim government, qualified individuals were appointed as councillors.”
