Abu Shadik Kayem, vice-president of the Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu), today announced that he has formally stepped down from his position of central international affairs secretary of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir.

Shadik left Shibir as he prepares to contest the Dhaka South City Corporation mayoral election as a candidate of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. Under the party’s constitution, members of the student wing are not eligible to contest such elections.

In a Facebook post, Shadik wrote: “Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, my beloved organisation! A long golden chapter has come to an end. As part of the organisation’s normal process, my formal leave from Islami Chhatra Shibir became effective today.”

On May 1, Jamaat-e-Islami announced Shadik as its mayoral candidate at a conference of thana and divisional-level leaders held at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) in Dhaka. Following the announcement, Shibir clarified that members cannot contest elections while remaining in the student organisation.

Born in Khagrachhari, Shadik studied at Baitush Sharaf Jabbaria Adarsha Madrasah, passing Dakhil in 2014, and later completed Alim in 2016 from Baitush Sharaf Adarsha Kamil Madrasa in Chattogram. He then enrolled in the Department of Political Science at Dhaka University, completing both undergraduate and master’s degrees.

According to sources, Shadik became involved in Shibir politics in 2013 but first appeared publicly as president of the Dhaka University unit on September 21, 2024, following his role in July Uprising.