Asif MahmudShojib Bhuyain
From a linguistics student at the University of Dhaka, to a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in July 2024, to Adviser for Youth and Sports, Labour, and Local Government in the Interim Government.
Youth
Opening the doors to jobs, sport, enterprise and technology for young people.
Reform
Implementing the July Charter and deep reform of institutional politics.
The July debt
Remembering the martyrs and justice for the July killings: never letting July be forgotten.
Institutions free of party control
From sports federations to local elections, institutions should stay beyond party influence.
From the streets to the service of the state
From the Department of Linguistics at the University of Dhaka to the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, and Adviser to the Interim Government at 26.
Adviser at 26Born in 1998 in Muradnagar, Cumilla. He grew up in Chauddagram and his ancestral village of Akubpur, then in Dhaka. After higher secondary at Adamjee Cantonment College, he enrolled in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Dhaka.
His political journey began with the 2018 Quota Reform Movement. In July 2024, as a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, he stood at the front line of the mass uprising, and at 26 took on the role of Adviser to the Interim Government.
A year and a half in office, in numbers
A few figures from his ministries' work as Adviser. Every number links to its published source.
young people took part directly in the first phase of Tarunner Utshob (to July 2025), led by the Ministry of Youth and Sports with 26 ministries
Source: TBSin the National Championship 2025 (football); groups named after July martyrs
Source: BSSmaximum youth loan, previously Tk 200,000 (his announcement, July 2025)
Source: Dhaka Tribuneemployer–worker agreement on garment workers' demands, during his time at the Labour Ministry (September 2024)
Source: Dhaka TribuneJuly: Motherland or Death
In July 2024, a student movement for quota reform grew within weeks into a mass uprising. Coordinator Asif Mahmud was at its front line.
He became one of 23 coordinators on the 65-member committee of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
By his account, he was taken from the Hatirjheel area on the night of 19 July and pressured to call off the movement. On the morning of 24 July he was released, blindfolded, at the same spot.
He and two other coordinators were taken into Detective Branch custody from Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital. On the afternoon of 1 August, six coordinators were released together.
He announced that the 'March to Dhaka' planned for 6 August would be brought forward to 5 August.
Facing the mass uprising, Sheikh Hasina resigned and left the country.
“July has given birth to millions of revolutionaries in this country.”
From campus to running the state
Linguistics at the University of Dhaka
After his HSC at Adamjee Cantonment College, he enrolled in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Dhaka.
In the Quota Reform Movement
He became active in the Quota Reform Movement; this is where his path in student politics began.
Ganatantrik Chhatra Shakti
Launch of the new student organisation Ganatantrik Chhatra Shakti; he took charge as convener of its University of Dhaka unit.
Coordinator, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement
One of the coordinating team of the movement that later became the mass uprising.
Adviser to the Interim Government
As one of two student representatives, he first took charge of Youth and Sports, and later also of the Labour and Local Government ministries.
Three ministries, a year and a half of work
August 2024 to December 2025: notable work across three ministries, each with its date, status and source.
Tarunner Utshob (Youth Festival)
An initiative of the Chief Adviser's Office, led by the Ministry of Youth and Sports with the support of 26 ministries and held across the country. More than 7.1 million young people took part in the first phase alone.
Source: The Business StandardEsports recognised as a sport
Under the National Sports Council Act 2018, the Ministry of Youth and Sports formally recognised esports as a sport. A four-member committee was formed to set its policy.
Source: Dhaka TribuneA playground for persons with disabilities
He inaugurated the 'Shaheed Farhan Faiyaz Playground' for persons with physical disabilities, on the west side of the National Parliament building.
Source: Bangla TribuneRewards for national team success
The SAFF-winning women's football team received Tk 10 million (1 crore), and the team that first qualified for the AFC Women's Asian Cup Tk 5 million. The men's team that beat India after 22 years received a Tk 20 million bonus.
Source: The Daily StarYouth loan ceiling raised to Tk 500,000
He announced that the maximum youth loan for young entrepreneurs would rise from Tk 200,000 to Tk 500,000.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
“To build the discrimination-free new Bangladesh we fought for in the streets, institutional politics must be reformed.”
“I learned more in the year and a half after taking office than in the 25 years before it.”
The Bangladesh he speaks of
Across speeches, writing and his time in office, four themes keep returning in his words.
Youth is the strength
He believes the young generation is the country's greatest strength. He speaks regularly about jobs, entrepreneurship, sport and technology (artificial intelligence, semiconductors, startups).
“A nation's greatest strength is its young generation.”
Reform, with self-criticism
In his view, building the discrimination-free Bangladesh fought for in the streets requires reform of institutional politics. He has openly called the failure to organise themselves for a democratic state a major shortcoming.
“The July Charter is non-negotiable”
Justice for July
Remembering the martyrs and justice for the July killings recur in his speeches. In his eyes, the 2024 uprising protected the very independence won in 1971.
“As long as Bangladesh exists, the names of the movement's martyrs, the injured and the July fighters cannot be erased from history...”
Party-free institutions, government close to people
Whether sports federations or local elections, his position is that institutions must run beyond party influence. District and regional events carry opportunity beyond the capital.
“There will be no party symbols in local government elections.”
His words, in his voice
A video archive of documentaries, interviews and key speeches. Tap any card to watch.
Through the eyes of the press
Profiles and interviews published by Bangladeshi and international media. Headlines are our own summaries; tap to open the original.
Two young men, from the student movement to the service of the state
A profile of the two student advisers' studies, organising and path through the movement, the day after their oath.
At a glance on the night of the oath: birth, education, student politics
A short profile published on the day he was sworn in as Adviser.
Joy in Akubpur: a village son's new responsibility
A report from his village in Muradnagar: his school years and growing up.
From the streets to the ministries: the student advisers through the eyes of an international news agency
AP's report on the young leaders who joined the government after the mass uprising.
Interview with BSS on the first anniversary of July
How the movement spread across the country after campuses closed, in his own words.
In his resignation letter: serving as Adviser was an experience of pride
His explanation in the resignation letter of why staying in government is not appropriate if he wants to contest the election.
In pictures Asif Mahmud
Media kit
Official portraits (JPG, 2400 px) and a short biography for journalists and organisers. Please include the photo credit when using them.
Stay connected
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“My comrades are all the people of Bangladesh, from every political party that took part in the July mass uprising.”