Dhaka, Dec 11 (V7N) – The two student representatives of the Interim Government Advisory Council, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiya and Mahfuz Alam, have resigned from their positions, leaving the posts of advisers for the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Ministry of Youth and Sports, and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting vacant. Discussions are underway on how to redistribute these responsibilities.

On Wednesday evening (December 10), both submitted their resignation letters to the Chief Adviser.

According to multiple senior government sources, instead of appointing new advisers, the government is considering reassigning duties among existing advisers. Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan may be given additional responsibility for the Ministry of Local Government. Currently, he serves as adviser for the Ministries of Housing, Public Works, and Industry. Initially, he hesitated to take on the Local Government portfolio due to concerns over reported irregularities, but the government has persuaded him to accept it.

Meanwhile, environmental adviser Syeda Rizwana Hasan is being considered for additional responsibility over the Ministries of Information and Broadcasting and Youth and Sports. She currently oversees Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Water Resources.

Professor Ali Riaz, serving as special assistant to the Chief Adviser, is also being considered for responsibilities in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Additionally, former Brigadier General Dr. M. Sakhawat Hossain, the Labour Adviser, is reportedly being discussed for potential duties in the Ministry of Local Government.

Government sources note that appointing new advisers just before the election schedule announcement could draw criticism, making it more likely that the current advisers will have their duties redistributed rather than filling the vacant positions with new appointees.

According to regulations, once the Chief Adviser accepts the resignations, the Cabinet Division will issue a notification. Subsequently, the affected ministries will either report directly to the Chief Adviser or the responsibilities will be reassigned to other existing advisers.

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