BNP fears AL govt may use conviction to split party
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) hadn’t expected that the verdict in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case against its chairperson Khaleda Zia would be declared so early.
Party insiders said they had expected that it may take one and a half months more to complete all legal procedures.
BNP policymakers think the trial has been expedited to keep the main opposition political party, BNP, under pressure in advance and splitting the party ahead of the next general elections to be held at the year end.
Ministers and ruling party MPs have long been saying that the former prime minister, Khaleda Zia, would be convicted in the case.
In wake of the evolved circumstances, Khaleda has convened a meeting of her party's highest policymaking body - the National Standing Committee - this evening, Saturday. The meeting is likely to discuss party’s next course of action once Khaleda is convicted.
The makeshift court has fixed 8 February to declare the verdict and it’s widely believed in the country’s political arena that the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda might be convicted to keep her away from the next general elections to be held at the year end.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said the trial has been completed in a hurry as the government is determined to hold the next polls keeping BNP chief Khaleda Zia out of it.
Talking to Prothom Alo, the party's standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said, "The government is nervous and that’s why it’s trying to play offensive."
"They’re trying to banish their own fears [before the election]," he observed.
According to the BNP high command, a step has been taken to strengthen the party unity from the grassroots to the upper level in context of evolving situation. As part of it, a meeting was held on Thursday night to narrow the gap between two vital leaders who have long been leading two groups within the party. BNP is trying to asssess the policies of several influential countries ahead of the verdict of the case.
BNP policymakers think the government wants to corner BNP and split the party ahead of the 11th parliamentary election. To pursue the strategy, the government is disposing the case hurriedly, they added.
Under the circumstances, some of BNP leaders suggest not to go for any offensive programme after the verdict as the government took advantage of this in the past.
The BNP leaders foresee that the government wants BNP leaders and activists to take to streets with violent programmes so that the government can file criminal cases against BNP men and arrest them.
One camp of the party wants to continue peaceful programmes till the elections while another camp is in favour of violent reaction if the BNP chief is convicted. This camp opposes the idea of joining the elections keeping Khaleda out of it.
However, a number of BNP senior leaders said that the conviction of Khaleda will invite dire consequences.
"We can't guarantee that nothing will happen, whether we announce a formal programme or not," said BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy while addressing a discussion at the National Press Club on Friday.
Following the trial process of Zia Orphanage Trust graft case, there was a rumour in the political arena that the government may give early elections, leaving BNP unprepared after the verdict of the case. In absence of Khaleda Zia, BNP will suffer from indecision over joining election or not. Taking this opportunity, the government can try to create division in BNP.
BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the dream of breaking will remain as a dream.
"Nazmul Huda was a standing committee member. He has broken the BNP," said Mosharraf, asking what bigger breach can be made than that.
A top BNP leader said a plot will be attempted to split the party as it was done before the 5 January election in 2014. BNP leaders have known the strategy this time is different, the leader said.
The leader said Khaleda Zia may be arrested if convicted, and splitting of the party would be visible after that. Meanwhile, a quarter of the government has started to work on this.
Sources said the section 7 (Gha) of the BNP constitution may be used to split BNP. As per the section, a corrupt person will be considered disqualified to become party member and cannot participate in the election.
BNP leaders said the government which came to power through a voter-less election, has no courage to hold a participatory election. So the government trying to convict Khaleda Zia in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case with a view to keeping her out of elections.
*The article originally published in Prothom Alo print edition has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam and Quamrul Hassan