Following Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s nomination for the presidency, discussions have begun over several changes to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) organisational leadership and the allocation of government responsibilities.
The party has already inducted four leaders, including Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, into its highest policy-making body, the National Standing Committee.
At the same time, discussions are under way about appointing a new leader to the vacant post of secretary general, reallocating responsibilities at the Ministry of Local Government, and making limited changes to the Cabinet as the government approaches its six-month mark.
The other three leaders newly inducted into the BNP’s Standing Committee are Aman Ullah Aman and Mohammad Ismail Jabiullah, members of the Chairperson’s Advisory Council, and Farhad Halim (Donar), former acting convener of the BNP’s Dhaka North City unit.
The BNP reconstituted its Standing Committee a day after Mirza Fakhrul Islam’s nomination for the presidency on 13 August. However, the inclusion of some of the new members has surprised several people within the party.
In a statement sent to the media on Saturday, the BNP said that, in line with a party decision aimed at increasing organisational dynamism, the four leaders had been nominated as members of the National Standing Committee.
Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, who has joined the standing committee, served as the party’s senior joint secretary general for many years. He currently serves as the prime minister’s Political and Industry Affairs adviser.
Former secretary Ismail Jabiullah serves as the prime minister’s Public Administration adviser. A physician by profession, Farhad Halim is the executive director of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation.
Aman Ullah Aman, a former president of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and former DUCSU vice-president, has held various responsibilities at different levels of the BNP.
With the addition of the four new members, the BNP’s National Standing Committee now has 16 members.
They are BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Rafiqul Islam Mia, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmood Tuku, AZM Zahid Hossain, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Aman Ullah Aman, Mohammad Ismail Jabiullah and Farhad Halim.
Meanwhile, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has resigned from his position as Secretary General as well as from his other party posts.
Rafiqul Islam Mia, a senior member of the Standing Committee, has also remained inactive for a long time. Due to illness, he has not attended party meetings or programmes for several years.
According to the BNP’s constitution, the party’s chairman, senior vice-chairman and secretary general are deemed elected members of the standing committee.
Including them, the National Standing Committee has 19 members. The chairman will serve as the head of the committee.
The BNP last reconstituted its standing committee at its sixth National Council on 19 March 2016. Several positions have fallen vacant since then due to the deaths and resignations of members, among other reasons.
The party has filled some of those positions with new members at different times. This time, however, it has inducted four members at once.
The names of BNP Vice-Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Asaduzzaman Ripon, chairperson’s advisory council member and Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon, and Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal had also been discussed as possible candidates for the standing committee.
Asaduzzaman Ripon told Prothom Alo, “He (the party chief) has certainly made the right decision. I am fully loyal to and confident in his decision.”
Discussion on cabinet reshuffle
With Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir becoming the BNP’s presidential candidate, the Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Ministry, which he currently oversees, may see a change in leadership.
At the same time, as the government completes six months in office, discussions have also begun on reviewing the Cabinet’s performance and reallocating responsibilities.
According to sources familiar with the matter, a major Cabinet reshuffle before the President takes the oath appears unlikely. However, the government may make limited changes by bringing in several new faces.
There is discussion about bringing a new face to the Local Government Ministry. In this regard, the names of Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed as Mirza Fakhrul’s successor and Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury for the Home Ministry have been discussed. However, no final decision has been made on the matter.
Several sources in the government and the BNP said the names of Krishak Dal General Secretary Shohidul Islam Babul, Gaibandha-4 (Gobindaganj) MP Shamim Kaiser Lincoln, BNP standing committee member Selima Rahman and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partho have emerged in discussions as possible new faces.
There is also discussion that at least several people currently serving as state ministers in different ministries may be promoted to full ministerial positions. However, no final decision has been taken on these matters either.
Over the past two days, this correspondent spoke to several government ministers and senior BNP leaders about the matter. However, none of them agreed to comment on the possible Cabinet reshuffle.
Who will become secretary general?
If Mirza Fakhrul becomes President, the post of BNP secretary general will become vacant.
Discussions are under way at the party’s policymaking level over who will take up the position. However, no name has officially emerged as a potential secretary general so far.
Within the party, there is discussion about the possibility of assigning Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi as acting secretary General until the next national council after making him a member of the standing committee. However, the party has not announced any decision on the matter.
Who will be successor in Thakurgaon-1 constituency?
If Mirza Fakhrul becomes President, his Thakurgaon-1 parliamentary seat will also fall vacant. This will require a by-election in the constituency.
Locally, the names of his younger brother, Mirza Faisal Amin, president of the Thakurgaon district BNP, and his elder daughter, Mirza Shamaruh, have emerged as possible candidates. However, no statement has yet come from the Mirza family on the matter.
Following confirmation of Mirza Fakhrul’s candidacy for the presidency, discussions have emerged over the reconstitution of the BNP standing committee, new leadership for the Secretary General’s post, and possible changes in the Local Government Ministry and the Thakurgaon-1 constituency.
Alongside these developments, the government is also considering a limited Cabinet reshuffle after reviewing its performance during its first six months in office.