Asif Mahmud

Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan (; born 14 July 1998) is a Bangladeshi politician, who was an adviser to the Interim government of Bangladesh. He was a key coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination, which led the July Uprising. He is also the former president of Bangladesh Chhatra Odhikar Parishad at University of Dhaka unit. Following his resignation from the interim government, he joined the National Citizen Party, where he serves as the party’s spokesperson.

Early life and education Asif Mahmud was born on 14 July 1998 to a Bengali family of Muslim Bhuiyans in the village of Akubpur in Bangora, Comilla District. He is the son of Mohammad Billal Hossain Bhuiyan and Rukhsana Begum. Mahmud studied at Nakhalpara Hossain Ali High School in Dhaka and completed his secondary education there. Afterwards, he studied at Adamjee Cantonment College, where he served as the Cadet Sergeant of the college's BNCC Club. He was a student of the 2017–18 academic session in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Dhaka. He is currently studying for a Master's degree at the North South University.

Career Asif Mahmud was one of the coordinators of the Students Against Discrimination opposing quotas in government jobs, which evolved into a campaign to remove Hasina from power. He along with Nahid Islam and others gained national recognition in mid-July 2024 when he and several other Dhaka University students were detained by police as the protests became violent.

In the aftermath, on August 5, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country. Nahid stated that their goals weren't fully met, and following Hasina's resignation, the group aimed to "abolish fascist systems forever". Asif Mahmud and his organisation called Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus to lead an interim government.

He began his career when he, along with another coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination, Nahid Islam, was appointed as an adviser in the Interim government of Bangladesh. In this capacity, he took on dual responsibilities, serving as the Adviser for Youth and Sports and overseeing the Labour and Employment. He was subsequently transferred from the Labour and Employment Ministry to the Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives on 10 November 2024.

Political career Asif Mahmud began his political involvement as a student activist and became a key coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination, a movement that led the July Uprising in Bangladesh. During the interim government period, he served as an adviser with responsibilities including youth and sports, labour and employment, and local government portfolios.

In early December 2025, he submitted his wealth statement and cancelled his diplomatic passport in preparation for participation in national politics following his resignation from the interim government. Shortly thereafter, he resigned from his advisory position on 10 December 2025, ending his tenure in the interim administration.

On 29 December 2025, he joined the National Citizen Party and was appointed its spokesperson as well as chief of the party’s election steering committee, choosing not to contest the upcoming general election himself.

Controversies Contractor Licence issued to father In March 2025, Billal Hossain, father of Asif Mahmud, received a contractor license from the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) in Comilla. Asif Mahmud initially denied knowledge of the license but later confirmed its authenticity, stating it was obtained without his consent and that no work had been undertaken using it. On April 24, 2025, the LGED Comilla district office officially cancelled the contractor license issued to Billal Hossain, citing procedural concerns.

Firearm magazine at airport In June 2025, during a security check at Shahjalal International Airport, a firearm magazine was found in the hand luggage of Asif Mahmud. He was traveling to attend the OIC Youth Capital International program in Marrakech, Morocco. This caused controversy. Later, he stated on Facebook that the magazine had remained in his bag by mistake. He claimed that due to his involvement in political activities, he had been the target of multiple attacks, and that the licensed firearm was for his personal security. He further stated that due to shortcomings in state security, he legally carries a weapon to protect himself and his family.

Later Bangladesh’s Home Affairs Advisor, Lieutenant General (Retd.) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury sarcastically told reporters after a core committee meeting on law and order at the Secretariat, "It was a magazine, not an AK-47." He also said that an investigation is underway to determine how the magazine was not detected during the airport’s initial screening. According to Bangladesh’s firearms laws, officials holding positions equivalent to a minister are allowed to use firearms without age restrictions.