With the election approaching, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is currently pursuing a dual strategy—both firm and conciliatory, in dealing with party leaders who have become ‘rebels’ by contesting as independent candidates.
The party is attempting to persuade those who submitted nomination papers outside the party’s decision to withdraw their candidacies. If persuasion fails, the party will adopt a tougher stance.
Multiple senior party sources have confirmed this approach.
BNP is viewing leaders who have contested as independents in defiance of party decisions as ‘rebel’ candidates.
According to party sources, senior leaders have been assigned region-based responsibilities to engage with rebel candidates.
Within their respective organisational areas, they are contacting these candidates and holding direct discussions, emphasising the importance of adhering to party decisions in the upcoming election.
At the same time, they are outlining the possible organisational consequences of defying party discipline. Following these initiatives, several candidates have already agreed to withdraw their nomination papers.
Senior BNP policymakers say that these individual-level discussions with rebel candidates are taking place within the framework of organisational discipline and structure.
There is no coercion involved; rather, candidates are being urged to reconsider their decisions in the interest of party unity and electoral strategy.
If regional-level discussions fail to bring the situation under control, Tarique Rahman may also become directly involved in the process at the final stage.
Multiple senior party sources have confirmed this approach. BNP is viewing leaders who have contested as independents in defiance of party decisions as ‘rebel’ candidates.
However, the party’s top leadership views this regional persuasion process as the final opportunity for the ‘rebels’.
If nomination papers are not withdrawn even after this, organisational action will be taken against those concerned. Already, nine individuals have been expelled for contesting as candidates in defiance of party decisions.
BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed told Prothom Alo yesterday, Friday, “They are being persuaded continuously. If they still fail to understand, then organisational action will have to be taken against them. What other option is there?”
According to the election schedule announced by the election commission, 20 January is the final date for withdrawal of nomination papers. Those who withdraw within the stipulated time in support of party-nominated candidates will be commended.
However, once the deadline has passed, strict action will be taken against disobedient leaders or those who violate party discipline. BNP’s decision is to deploy all its strength in favour of party candidates.
Even if a rebel candidate remains in any constituency, party leaders and activists will not be permitted to work for any candidate other than the officially nominated one. If these instructions are ignored, the relevant unit or committee will also be held accountable.
BNP leadership believes that if rebel candidates can be firmly brought under control, the party’s position in the electoral field will be further strengthened. Therefore, maintaining party discipline is now BNP’s highest priority.
According to a calculation by Prothom Alo, a total of 119 BNP leaders have submitted nomination papers as independent candidates in 117 constituencies across the country.
Some of these nomination papers have been cancelled during scrutiny. Those concerned say that major reasons behind the emergence of rebel candidates include resentment over long-serving senior leaders being excluded in some areas and internal conflicts within local leadership in others.
Reality still differs despite electoral understanding
BNP has reached seat-sharing agreements with its joint-movement allies in 16 constituencies for the election. While this decision initially brought relief among allied parties, the ground reality in the electoral field remains different.
In most constituencies that BNP has conceded to its allies, allied candidates are not receiving adequate organisational cooperation from BNP at the local level.
They are being persuaded continuously. If they still fail to understand, then organisational action will have to be taken against them. What other option is there?Salahuddin Ahmed, BNP standing committee member
Instead, in many areas, the active presence of BNP’s independent or rebel candidates has marginalised alliance candidates.
In this situation, leaders of allied parties are directly seeking the intervention of the BNP chairperson and the election management committee.
They argue that clear and public directives from the top leadership are essential to ensure effective cooperation at the grassroots level.
In the current election, BNP has left Bogura-2 for Mahmudur Rahman Manna of Nagorik Oikya (who has also submitted nomination papers in Dhaka-18), Bhola-1 for Andaleeve Rahman Partho of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), Narail-2 for Fariduzzaman Farhad of the NPP, Jashore-5 for Mufti Rashid bin Wakkas of Bangladesh Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam, Patuakhali-3 for Nurul Haq Nur of Gono Odhikar Parishad, Jhenaidah-4 for Rashed Khan, Dhaka-12 for Saiful Haque of the Biplobi Workers Party, Dhaka-13 for Bobby Hajjaj of the NDM, Brahmanbaria-6 for Zonayed Saki of the Ganosamhati Andolon, Lakshmipur-1 for Shahadat Hosen Selim of the BLDP, Kishoreganj-5 for Syed Ehsanul Huda and Cumilla-7 for Redwan Ahmed of the LDP.
Among them, Fariduzzaman Farhad, Rashed Khan, Shahadat Hossain Selim, Ehsanul Huda, Redwan Ahmed, and Bobby Hajjaj have joined BNP and are contesting the election under the Sheaf of Paddy symbol.
In addition, BNP has allocated four constituencies to Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam Bangladesh, where the party is contesting under its own symbol (the Date Palm Tree).
Discussions with several senior leaders of allied parties indicate that although seats have been conceded, the absence of firm directives to grassroots BNP units has created hesitation and confusion at the field level.
While informing the BNP’s top leadership has led to slight improvements in some areas, these fall well short of expectations.
As a result, a significant number of candidates in the agreed constituencies believe that without strong and centralised directives from BNP leadership, full cooperation will remain difficult to secure.