Asif Mahmud Laments Being Villainized While July Accused Are Portrayed as Victims
Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, Adviser to the Interim Government’s Ministries of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, and Youth and Sports, expressed frustration and regret on social media, stating that those accused of vandalism and murders during the July uprising are being portrayed as victims while he is labeled a villain. The statement was posted on his verified Facebook account on Tuesday, 29 July.
In his post, Asif wrote: “Why were they arrested in police cases for attacking police stations? That blame falls on Asif Mahmud too. Shah Junnun Bushari, brother of Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaykobad, was directly involved in the Muradnagar triple murder case. He was even seen celebrating on social media after the incident. Yet, my name has been dragged into it. For the past three months, neither I nor my family have visited the area. The victim never mentioned us in early interviews (archives exist). Kaykobad’s people convinced the victim to make these claims a month later. Meanwhile, Ishrak Bhai, unable to become mayor due to court complexities and the end of his term despite government decisions, has allied with Kaykobad and is using his controlled TV to spread this propaganda. They’re presenting an accused in the July uprising murder case as a victim—Seleucus.
We are helpless against this mafia and terror establishment. The Kaykobad family has become reckless, fearing I might contest as an MP in Muradnagar. I’ve long wanted to free the oppressed people of the area from terrorism and extortion. I have no desire to become an MP. I only wanted to work for the people within my capacity, but that seems impossible now. Let the mafia triumph. But in doing so, I, a middle-class family’s son with no establishment or financial backing, have made enemies of the powerful. What can’t be done with media control? Those who vandalized police stations, the accused in July’s murders, those celebrating murders are now victims, and Asif Mahmud is the villain.”
Asif, a key coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination movement and a former president of the Bangladesh Sadharon Chhatra Odhikar Songrokkhon Parishad at Dhaka University, played a significant role in the 2024 quota reform and non-cooperation movements. Born on 14 July 1998 in Akubpur village, Muradnagar, Cumilla, he is currently a student in the Linguistics Department at Dhaka University.
The statement reflects Asif’s concerns about misinformation and his perceived targeting by influential groups, though specific claims regarding the Muradnagar triple murder and July uprising cases remain unverified. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions in local politics and media narratives.
