BNP faces conflict between old-new leaders in Jhalakathi, Amu rules AL

Leaders and members of Jhalakathi district Awami League are gearing up for the upcoming national elections. Everything is being orchestrated under the guidance of Amir Hossain Amu, a member of Awami League's advisory council and coordinator of the 14-party alliance. Amir Hossain Amu holds the final word in the politics of Awami League in the district.

On the other hand, a clear conflict between old and new leaderships is evident within the district’s BNP. Muhammad Shahjahan Omar, the party's vice chairman, once had complete control over district BNP politics, but now his followers find themselves sidelined. The two conflicting factions are organising counter programmes. While there have been some shifts in BNP leaders' and activists' stances in the last three months, the internal conflict within the party remains apparent.

Amir Hossain Amu, the Member of Parliament for Jhalakathi-2 (Sadar-Nalchity) Constituency and a senior Awami League politician, is regarded as the guardian of the district's Awami League by leaders and workers at all levels of the party. He maintains absolute control over the politics of the Jhalakathi-1 (Rajapur-Kathalia) seat as well. Amu's recommended candidates are appointed as presidents and secretaries in all organisational committees within the district.

Amu's name is being circulated as the sole candidate of the party for the Jhalakathi-2 seat in the upcoming elections. Thus far, no banners or festoons promoting anyone other than Amu have been seen in the constituency. Two former leaders of the district's Awami League, former municipal mayor Afzal Hossain and former upazila chairman Sultan Hossain Khan, have disassociated from the party due to a dispute with Amu, rendering them inactive within the party.

Jhalakathi-1 (Rajapur-Kathalia) Constituency Member of Parliament, Bajlul Haque Harun, wields limited influence in his area. He has not visited the constituency since the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. In anticipation of the elections, activities of aspiring Awami League candidates for this seat are on the rise. Banners and festoons are being displayed in the area, and numerous campaigns are underway. The leaders are also engaging with leaders and workers at the grassroots level.

In addition to the three-time parliamentarian Bajlul Haque, other contenders for the AL nomination include Moniruzzaman, a liberation war affairs subcommittee member, Fatinaz Feroze, Chairman of Stamford University's board of trustees, Mohammad Ismail, former chairman of Krishi Bank, and Abul Kashem, a member of Awami League's subcommittee on relief affairs.

It was not possible to speak with Bajlul Haque, who is currently outside the country. Moniruzzaman informed Prothom Alo that the people, including leaders and activists of Awami League, are on his side. If he secures the nomination, he aims to transform Rajapur-Kathalia into a modern and smart upazila by winning with a significant margin of votes.

According to party sources, during the last council of the district Awami League on 12 December 2019, Sardar Md Shah Alam was re-elected as president for the second time, and Khan Saifullah became the general secretary. The full committee was announced after the council.

Additionally, committees for 32 unions, including four upazilas and two municipalities, have been formed. Amu's recommended leaders have been placed in key positions, including president and secretary of these committees. Although there is discontent about this at the grassroots level, no one openly opposes it.

On the other hand, the committees of Krishak League, Jubo Mahila League, Tanti League, and Matsyajibi League are up-to-date among the eight affiliated organisations of AL. Jubo League, Sramik League, and Swecchasebak League are operating with a convening committee, which has caused dissatisfaction among the party's leaders and workers.

The District Awami League president, Sardar Md Shah Alam, holds no influence or control within the party and is inactive in party programmes due to illness. Following Amir Hossain Amu, district Awami League general secretary Khan Saifullah is very active, and leaders and activists often address him as 'Bhaijan' (Brother). Recently, he was elected as the chairman of the District Council.

Khan Saifullah informed Prothom Alo, stating, “We implement any party decision under the guidance of Amir Hossain Amu. He is our guardian. There is no conflict in our party due to his prudent politics. There is no alternative to Amu in the Jhalakathi-2 seat.”

Furthermore, he emphasised that in the upcoming election, development activities are being promoted in favour of the 'boat' (electoral symbol of ruling Awami League). People are encouraged to vote for the ‘boat’ in every meeting, highlighting progress and development.

District BNP's politics was once under the control of party vice chairman, Muhammad Shahjahan Omar. However, after the formation of the current convening committee, his followers were sidelined within the party. In 2021, the central BNP expelled several pro-Omar leaders.  

Despite the withdrawal of the expulsion order on 23 August, the two factions began holding joint programmes to demand the release of party chairperson Khaleda Zia. Yet, recently, during the road march programmes, the old dispute between the two sides resurfaced regarding entry into the party office on Amtala road in the town.  

Consequently, they have been conducting party programmes separately for a few days. As the anti-government movement intensifies, internal conflicts among the leaders are adversely affecting the party's workers.

The central BNP announced a two-member convening committee in November 2020, with Shahadat Hossain as the member secretary and Syed Hossain, the former vice president of the district BNP, as the convener. Later, a 34-member convening committee was also announced.

Although the committee was supposed to be formed through a conference within three months, this did not happen even after three years. Following the convening committee's announcement, the district BNP split into two factions.  

One of them was led by Monirul Islam, the former general secretary of the committee led by Shahjahan Omar. On the other side was Shahadat Hossain, the member secretary of the current committee. They were once very close, and there are even rumors that Monirul played a role in making Shahadat Hossain as the member secretary of the convening committee. 

According to party sources, the current convening committee has formed all organisational committees at the union level, including four upazila and two pourashava committees. Supporters of Shahadat are leading these committees.

On the other hand, on 27 December 2021, Mustafa Kamal, the former president of the Omar-led district BNP, along with Sardar Enamul Haque, the president of Sadar Upazila, and Shah Alam Mollah, a former member of Sadar Upazila BNP, were suspended with their primary membership being canceled.

Although their expulsion order has been recently revoked, their relationship with member secretary Shahadat Hossain has deteriorated. Former General Secretary Monirul Islam is attempting to organise the leaders and workers from a separate office located on Chandkathi Yusuf Hossain road in the city.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Monirul Islam said the current convening committee has completely failed. The committee that was supposed to last three months could not form a complete committee through council even in three years. The leaders have been implementing the agenda of Awami League, he alleged.

Countering the allegations, member secretary Shahadat Hossain said since the announcement of the convening committee, new committees have already been constituted for upazilas and other equivalent units. The council could not be organised due to complexities of availing permission from the administration. The full committee will be formed through a council with the presence of central leaders soon, he added.

Muhammad Shahjahan Omar Bir Uttam said BNP is a major political party. There could be disagreements over posts but there is no contention within the party over the movement to topple the government.

BNP is putting emphasis on the movement to press home its demand of a non-party caretaker government than taking part in the next parliamentary election under the current Awami League government. The district BNP leaders and activists have been waging a movement at the directives of the party central leaders. Most of the leaders and activists, who have been making rounds at the court, are not thinking anything about the election right now, except the one-point demand of resignation of the government.

Member secretary Shahadat Hossain told Prothom Alo that hundreds of leaders and activists have been appearing at courts for six to seven times in a month in different cases. Their normal life, and business everything is being hampered. They are not thinking about the election right now.

* The report, originally published in the print and online editions of Prothom Alo, has been rewritten in English by Farjana Liakat