Absolute silence in BNM office, doubts over party future

The Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM) started its activities from a luxurious office rented in the capital’s Gulshan following the declaration of the election schedule of the 12th parliamentary polls. The office used to be crammed with party activists and leaders during selling nomination papers and selection of party candidates.

However, the party candidates failed to secure any seat in the parliament. All candidates of the BNM, except one, lost security money, which created a deep impact on party activists and leaders.

Now, there is absolute silence in the almost 2,500-square foot central office of the BNM. The office remains locked most of the time of the day. The party activists hardly show up there. A peon maintains the office. However, some of the central party leaders come to the office if there is any meeting.

Prothom Alo has spoken to four BNM leaders who contested the polls. They say the foundation of the party is still very weak as it was formed only a few months ahead of the 12th general elections. The number of party leaders and activists are not that much. As a result, the party doesn’t even have the required manpower to conduct organisational activities despite having a big office in the capital. The party activists have doubts about the future of the party.

The BNM office was found locked up from inside at around 12:30 pm on Saturday. However, the lights were on inside. A shopkeeper nearby said there might be someone inside. Later, a peon of the office opened the gate after this correspondent contacted the peon of the office.

However, all the rooms in the office were empty. None of the party leaders or activists was at the office that day. The peon said the number of party activists started dwindling after the election. The party leaders come only on the days of party meetings.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, BNM’s acting chairman Shah Md Abu Jafar said the working committee of the party held a meeting after the polls. They decided to reorganise the party, forgetting the poll results. The party candidates could not cope the electoral field as the party was new.

The party had its office in a tiny room in the capital’s Mohakhali before. The rent of that 380-square foot room was Tk 15,000 per month. The party rented the current office in Gulshan after the declaration of the election schedule. Already there have been discussions within the party regarding whether it should keep the office or not. According to the sources in the party, the primary rental agreement of the office will expire after February. The party will take the decision regarding the office after that.

BNM acting chairman Shah Md Abu Jafar said they had discussed whether the office should be kept or not in a meeting held after the polls. There have been proposals to shift the office to some places with more political offices. The decision regarding this will be finalised very soon.

The BNM, which got registered with the Election Commission (EC) only five months before the polls, became known as the ‘king’s party’. There have been discussions in the political arena of the country that the party was patronised by the government. There were also talks that several key leaders of the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) might join the party. However, the party failed to do anything like that in the end. The importance of the party to the ruling party also dwindled.

The leaders of the party said that they could be the main opposition in the polls held without the participation of the BNP. However, they fielded only 53 candidates in the end. Only the party candidate from the Cox’s Bazar-2 constituency Mohammad Sharif Badshah was able to save the security money. The central leaders of the party, including the acting chairman and secretary general, lost their security money.

Several BNM candidates in the 12th general elections told Prothom Alo that the party had gained bad reputations right from the start. Besides, there were internal feuds, which led to a change in the central leadership of the party.

There are allegations that the party collected money from different sources in the name of electoral expenses. However, the party hadn’t contacted any of its candidates. Therefore, the party leaders are in doubt about the future of the party.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, BNM senior joint secretary general SM Ajmal Hossain said, “The image of the party has tarnished. Therefore, we need to review the future of the party. However, a decision was taken during a meeting after the polls to re-organise the party at the district and upazila levels.