Cross-currents in BNP as it battles polls blues
Courtesy New Age 2/7/09
Shahidul Islam Chowdhury
As many as six ‘trends’ are now active in the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party which is struggling to recover from the trauma of its humiliating defeat in the last general elections, according to party insiders.
Most of the leaders are in two minds about how to revamp the party – to go for democratisation with a bottom-up approach and devolution of authority or to continue to pursue the top-down ‘authoritarian’ system.
Leaders of almost all streams want party chairperson Khaleda Zia to spearhead the democratisation process but at the same time are trying to isolate the rivals.
The moderates, who are eager for democratisation of the organisation, are trying to convince all other streams it would not be prudent to draw battle lines at this juncture.
Grassroots-level leaders and activists, though convinced that there is no alternative to Khaleda’s leadership, are also in the race to have their berths in, as well as control of respective district and upazila level committees.
Most of the party lawmakers are apparently frustrated as the highest policy-making standing committee did not allow them to join the budget session of the parliament thereby depriving them of discharging their constitutional responsibilities.
A New Age investigation has found all the six trends active overtly or covertly, although the activities of four streams – ‘conformists’, the group backing the party secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain, the section supporting senior joint secretary general Tarique Rahman, and opportunists – are more prominent.
A section of vice-chairmen and joint secretaries general – mostly conformists – are vying for the post of secretary general or a berth in the standing committee and, on the other hand, their rivals – former reformists –are desperate to consolidate and mobilise support for themselves within the party.
Followers of the Khandaker Delwar want him to continue to hold the post of the party secretary general after the national council session.
Some top part leaders, who back Tarique Rahman are in contact with him over telephone, are trying to persuade him to take the charge of the secretary general at the earliest. Tarique left the country on September 11, 2008, and is undergoing treatment in
Nazmul Huda, a vice chairman of the party, recently fired a broadside at the secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain questioning his ability to lead the party. ‘He [Delwar] is unable to lead and reorganise the party.’
Huda, who had been the youngest member in the standing committee led by late Ziaur Rahman, founder of the party, did not hide his eagerness for the post of the secretary general.
Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, a standing committee member who wields enormous influence in the party, told reporters that he would be happy if the secretary general was chosen through election in the council session. He, however, said that it was his personal opinion.
Opportunists are trying to ‘[mis]guide’ the top leaders, including Khaleda Zia, Khandaker Delwar Hossain and Tarique Rahman, for their personal gains, said party insiders.
Khandaker Delwar, said, ‘The BNP is a big party. It is quite natural that we have differences of opinion. But almost all leaders want the party to get stronger under the leadership of Khaleda Zia.’
The BNP on June 9 announced convening committees for its 71, out of 75 district units, dissolving the incumbent bodies and asking them to elect fully-fledged panels through council sessions by November 15.
The convening committees for the Dhaka city,
‘This is for the first time that the party has failed to form a committee in the district of the secretary general…Khandaler Delwar is a resident of Manikganj…,’ a party leader said.
The convening committee and the leaders in Feni, the home district of Khaleda Zia, are also clearly divided, he lamented.
The party started reorganising its district convening committees to tackle internal conflicts in many districts where rival groups clashed and staged demonstrations against each other.
The party drew criticism from within and outside for not allowing its lawmakers to participate in the parliament’s budget discussion. ‘We could not join the session…Most of the policymakers turned down our request to join the house,’ a BNP MP said. ‘It is frustrating.’ A new lawmaker of the party shared the sentiment.
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