Five former MPs of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) are going to run for the upcoming 12th parliamentary elections going against the decision of the party. Apart from that, a former advisor of the BNP chairperson, a vice-chairman and several members of the party’s executive committee have submitted nomination papers as independent candidates. However, many of them were inactive in party activities for long.
The number of former and expelled BNP leaders running for the polls is around 13. Besides, some 19 former BNP leaders at different levels are participating in the elections with nominations from Trinomul BNP and Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM).
In addition to that, another BNP leader secured the nomination of the ruling party after resigning from the party. In all, at least 33 former BNP leaders are running for the upcoming polls.
Four former deposed BNP leaders are competing in the polls as independent candidates from four constituencies in Bogura, known to be the BNP’s hub. Of them, Ziaul Haque Molla, former member of BNP national executive committee, is running from the Bogura-4 constituency.
Speaking regarding his candidacy, he told Prothom Alo, “The party didn’t value me. I was given a tag of reformist and was deprived from nomination. As I don’t have any place in the party, I became an independent candidate considering my political future. I have no plan to join any party at all.”
Ziaul Haque’s father Azizul Haque Molla was an MP from the Bogura-4 constituency. After his death in 1994, Ziaul was elected the MP from that constituency in by-polls. Later, he was elected the MP twice in 1996 on 15 February and 12 January and once again in the 8th national parliamentary elections in 2001 from the Bogura-4 constituency as BNP candidate.
Former advisor of district BNP Mohammad Shokrana is running as an independent candidate from the Bogura-1 constituency. Former women’s affair secretary of district BNP, Beauty Begum is taking part in the polls independently from Bogura-2. She is also a former vice-chairman of Shibganj upajila parishad. And former president Sadar upazila BNP and ex-chairman of Shahjahanpur upazila parishad, Sarker Badal is competing as an independent candidate from the Bogura-7 constituency.
Two former BNP MPs to contest from Mymensingh
Former BNP national executive committee member Shah Shahid Sarwar is also running as an independent candidate. He was an MP of the BNP from the Mymensingh-2 constituency. He was elected a MP from this constituency in 2001. He also took part in the national polls of 2008 and 2018 as a BNP candidate with the paddy sheaf symbol. The BNP expelled him from the national executive committee for running as an independent candidate in the upcoming general elections going against the party decision.
There are 502 members in the executive committee of BNP now except the members of the standing committee and advisors of the BNP chairperson. Besides, some 83 persons are holding the posts of party chairperson’s advisors at the moment.
Former BNP MP Delowar Hossain Khan submitted the nomination paper as an independent in the Mymensingh-4 constituency. He was elected an MP with the BNP in 2001 from this constituency.
One each in Tangail and Kishoreganj
Khandker Anwarul Haque, former BNP MP from Tangail-1, is also contesting in the polls independently. Speaking to Prothom Alo, “I am neglected in the party. I am not invited to any meetings or rallies. I think the party doesn’t need me anymore. So I decided to join the polls despite the party refraining from participating.”
Another former BNP MP, Major (retired) Akhtaruzzaman, will be contesting in the polls from Kishoreganj-2 constituency. He was elected MP from this constituency for two consecutive terms with BNP’s nomination in 1991 and 1996. He was also the BNP nominated candidate in the general elections of 2001 and 2018. He was once the president of Kishoreganj district BNP. He was later expelled from the party.
Four expelled central leaders join the polls
Former BNP vice-chairman Shawkat Mahmud has submitted the nomination form as an independent candidate for the Cumilla-5 constituency. Shawkat Mahmud, who joined politics from the field of journalism, was expelled from the BNP for breaching party discipline.
He became the member secretary of an organisation named ‘Jatiya Insaaf Committee’ at the time. Activities of this organisation sparked backlashes from the BNP. Poet and essayist Farhad Mazhar was the convener of this committee.
Speaking to Prothom Alo Friday night, Shawkat Mahmud said, “People would have had the chance to express their opinion, if BNP had come to the election. The way the international community is monitoring the situation here, the government would not have much chance to rig the election. The allegations against me of trying to divide the party with the Insaaf Committee didn’t come true eventually. I have not joined any other party either. I became an independent candidate due to pressure of my supporters.”
BNP chairperson’s advisor Syed AK Ekramuzzaman is running as an independent candidate from the Brahmanbaria-1 constituency. He was expelled from the BNP too.
Expelled members of the BNP’s executive committee, Abul Kashem Fakhrul and Khandker Ahsan Habib are contesting as independent candidates from the Jhalakathi-1 and Tangail-5 constituencies respectively.
Dewanganj upazila unit BNP Member Mahbubul Hasan has submitted the nomination paper for the Jamalpur-1 constituency as an independent candidate. BNP expelled him on 28 November.
From BNP leaders to Trinomul BNP candidates
At least 13 former leaders of BNP are contesting in the polls after joining the Trinomul BNP, popularly known as the ‘king’s party’. Shamsher M Chowdhury and Taimur Alam Khondaker, two top leaders of the party, were advisors of the BNP chairperson. Shamsher Mobin and Taimur Alam are taking part in the polls from the Sylhet-6 and Narayanganj-1 constituencies respectively.
Among the other former BNP leaders of this party running for the polls with Trinomul BNP’s nomination are - MM Shahin from the Moulvibazar-2, Nuruddin Ahmed from Jhenaidah-2 and Abdul Gani from the Meherpur-2 constituency.
MM Shahin once was the president of Moulvibazar district BNP. The former BNP leader first became the MP for the first time with BNP’s nomination in the controversial election held on 15 February 1996. He contested as a ‘rebel’ candidate of the party in the parliamentary elections of 2001. It created a gap between the party and him.
Former vice-president of Boda upazila BNP Abdul Aziz is participating in the poll as Trinomul BNP candidate from the Panchagarh-2 constituency. He is also a former chairman of the upazila parishad. Sherpur district BNP’s former assistant office secretary Md Jayedur Rashid is contesting from Sherpur-2 with the nomination of Trinomul BNP. Besides, Khandker Wahid Murad, expelled member of BNP unit in Nagarpur upazila in Tangail is running for polls from the Tangail-6 constituency.
BNP leaders in BNM
Three former BNP MPs are participating in the polls with nomination from BNM. They are – Shah Mohammad Abu Zafar from Faridpur-1 constituency, Abdur Rahman from Barguna-2 constituency and Dewan Shamsul Abedin from the Sunamganj-4. Of them, Shamsul Abedin was elected MP from the Sunamganj-3 constituency in the general elections of 1979.
Besides, former Rajshahi district BNP general secretary Matiur Rahman is contesting from Rajshahi-3, former joint convener of Chapainawabganj district BNP and ex-mayor of Chapainawabganj pourashava (municipality) Abdul Matin from Chapainawabganj-3 and Sherpur district BNP’s former member Mohammad Abdullah from the Sherpur-1 constituency as BNM candidates.
Only Shahjahan Omar from AL
Expelled BNP vice-chairman Shahjahan Omar was nominated by the ruling Awami League for the Jhalakathi-1 constituency right before the deadline for submitting the nomination papers ended. He was elected MP from this constituency in the parliamentary elections of 1979, 1991, 1996 and 2001 as a BNP candidate. He is running for the polls as an Awami League nominated candidate this time.
Speaking regarding BNP leaders taking nominations of other parties or running as independent candidates in the upcoming parliamentary polls, BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said, “Although they were affiliated with the BNP for long, they are yet to learn to judge between right and wrong. It’s good for the party (BNP) that they left.”
*This report appeared on the print and online versions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ashish Basu