Asif Mahmud denies role in interim government’s 'kitchen cabinet'

National Citizen Party (NCP) Spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain said the interim government had a “kitchen cabinet” but denied being a member of it at the party's central office in Dhaka's Banglamotor.

Responding to questions during an emergency press conference on Tuesday evening, the former interim government adviser said there is still no clarity on how major decisions were taken during the interim government, particularly regarding the trade agreement with the United States.

The remarks come within days of the Yunus government's foreign adviser, Touhid Hossain, disclosing the existence of Yunus's kitchen cabinet that sat regularly and took major decisions.

Asif, who was in charge of local government and a subject of controversies including misappropriation of funds, said, “Now we are hearing that not all decisions were made in the kitchen cabinet. [Khalilur Rahman] reportedly made the agreement,” he said.

The then national security adviser Khalilur Rahman, who is currently the foreign minister, is said to have been the main factor behind the interim government hurriedly signing a trade agreement with the United States that has been roundly criticised.

Citing media reports, Asif noted that former adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan and Law Adviser Asif Nazrul had also said they were unaware of the agreement. “Only the commerce minister and the current BNP foreign minister knew. So there is actually no clarity on where and how decisions were taken,” he added.

He said the agreement was signed on February 9, three days before the election, when he was no longer in the government and had already joined the NCP as its spokesperson.

Asif claimed that NCP’s concerns were ignored and questioned why the deal was signed at that particular time. “We think BNP made this agreement before the election through their current foreign minister Khalilur Rahman and then placed it on the shoulders of the interim government,” he alleged.

He urged the government to review or cancel the agreement if it harms Bangladesh’s interests.