NCP Spokesperson Asif Mahmud Calls for End to "State Harassment"

In a brief but pointed Facebook post shared on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, he wrote, "No more state harassment." While the post did not specify a particular incident, it has ignited widespread speculation and garnered significant social media engagement, amassing over 20,000 reactions within the first hour.

This cryptic message follows a period of increasing political friction between the NCP and the current administration. Just a day prior, Asif Mahmud publicly criticized the government’s decision to replace bureaucratic administrators in city corporations with political figures from the ruling party, labeling the appointees "un-elected mayors." He argued that the government is avoiding local elections out of fear of losing at the polls. Political analysts suggest that his latest call against state harassment may be a reaction to administrative pressure or legal challenges faced by NCP activists and other dissenting voices during the current political transition.

The timing of the statement is also notable as the NCP, which emerged from the July 2024 uprising, positions itself as a major third-party force in Bangladesh. With local government elections for Dhaka and Chattogram on the horizon, the NCP has been vocal about maintaining a neutral electoral environment. Asif Mahmud’s followers and several human rights advocates have shared the post, interpreting it as a broader plea for the protection of democratic space and the prevention of partisan targeting within state institutions.