JaPa uncomfortable in stronghold, AL without committee, BNP troubled by cases

Rangpur is called the citadel of Jatiya Party (JaPa). It is home to the party’s founder HM Ershad, who had been in power for 9 years at a stretch. The JaPa candidate Mostafizar Rahman came victorious by a huge margin in the last mayoral election in Rangpur city corporation. Yet, many local leaders think JaPa’s heyday is over in the district. JaPa once had all MPs in the district, but now only two constituencies have JaPa MPs. Moreover, the party is not so strong organisationally in the district.

The organisational strength of Awami League, which has been in power for three consecutive terms, has increased in the district. While JaPa’s organisational strength diminished in the district, AL’s increased. AL leaders do not think the drubbing its candidate had in the last mayoral election was the party's defeat. They maintain the AL’s selection of candidate was not right, and that led to humiliating defeat of the ruling party.

Opposition BNP can’t find a firm footing in the politics of Rangpur due to government repression. The leaders and workers of BNP are only carrying out the central programmes. Party meetings are confined to half a kilometer of the party office.

Of the six parliamentary seats, JaPa has lawmakers in only two. AL has MPs in the remaining four seats while JaPa has MPs in Rangpur-1 (Gangachhara and part of Sadar) and Rangpur-3 (Sadar). Party’s former secretary general Mashiur Rahman Ranga is the MP of Rangpur-1. He has been suspended from the party. Ershad’s son Rahgir Al Mahi Ershad (Shad Ershad) is the MP of Rangpur-3. JaPa’s politics is revolving around the city and the party does not have full-fledged committees in district and city units. The same situation prevails in eight upazilas. On 15 September, the party’s chairman GM Quader during his two-day visit to the city said the process to announce committees through councils is ongoing to speed up the party activities. The party is also preparing to participate in the next general election.

The party was supposed to get reinvigorated after JaPa mayoral candidate Mostafizar Rahman won by big margins in the polls on 27 February. Apart from the party’s image, the personal image of the candidate also played a determinant role behind the victory. The party leaders-activists consider Mostafizur as the biggest hope of the party in the district.

Mostafizar, who is now staying abroad, told Prothom Alo over WhatsApp on Thursday that it is election time and committees can be formed later. The work of revamping the party would take place automatically if the party joins the election and carries out organisational activities vehemently during the election.

Asked about the organisational weakness of the party in Rangpur, mayor Mostafizar said, “Those who were lawmakers in the past did not work for the party. That’s why the party has fallen into an existential crisis.”

Mostafizar also said that Sadar constituency’s MP Shad Ershad does not stay in Rangpur, which weakened the party in Rangpur.

“We demand the party’s chairman GM Quader contest from the Sadar constituency in the coming election. If he does not, then a local leader should represent the party here,” Mostafizar said.

Mashiur Rahman’s fate is also a matter of discussion among the local leaders-activists. Mashiur once would control the party’s grassroots. Although the party dismissed him, Mashiur still remains an MP and opposition chief whip in the parliament. There is speculation that the Moshiur issue might take a new turn ahead of the next general election.
Mashiur Rahman told Prothom Alo on 20 September, “Although the party suspended me, I continue to work for Jatiya Party as a lawmaker in my constituency. None from the party raise any objection.”

Mashiur said he wants to take part in the polls from JaPa and work unitedly with all.

JaPa central committee’s vice chairman and Rangpur city unit member secretary SM Yasir Rabbi said Moshiur no more belongs to party. JaPa’s parliamentary board would decide if he sought party’s nomination.
Yasir said he would seek nomination from Sadar constituency. District JaPa’s member secretary Abdur Razzaque would also seek the party's nomination from the seat.

Ershad’s nephew and former MP Asif Shahriar would seek nomination from Moshiur’s constituency.

Hosne Ara Lufta had won the party ticket in the last mayoral election in Rangpur city corporation. She was a reserved seat MP earlier. City AL president Shafiar Rahman and secretary Tushar Kanti Mandal had run extensive campaigns in the city since a long time before the election. Lutfa bagged only 22 thousand votes and lost her security deposit. Within a day of such a big loss, the district and city committees were dissolved and convening committees were formed.  Party leaders-activists said the party activities went to hibernation since then, only to be changed again centering AL president and prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Rangpur on 2 August.

AL central committee’s treasurer HN Ashikur Rahman is the sitting MP from Rangpur-5 (Mithapukur). The ruling party has not had any committee in the area of this influential central leader for over four years.

He will not contest in the coming election. Ashikur would seek nomination for his son Rasheq Rahman in the upcoming election. Current upazila chairman Zakir Hossain and district AL’s former joint secretary Motahar Hossain Mandal would also seek the party's nomination from this seat.
HN Ashikur Rahman said, “I would seek nomination for my son. Others can also seek nomination. But the decision of the party leader is final as she would finalise the candidate.”

BNP is battered by repression of the government, arrests and ‘fictitious’ cases. None from the party publicly announces candidature in the next general election. A BNP leader on condition of anonymity said they would jump in the election fray if the situation turns around in the party’s favour.

Convening committees in district and city units have been running BNP in the district. There is frustration among the party rank as the party does not hold council and full-fledged committees.

District BNP’s convener Saiful Islam said the party could not hold council due to the existing political situation. Yet the party is considering holding councils alongside the ongoing movement.

City BNP’s convener Shamsuzzaman said, “We are bettered by 22 fictitious cases. We would think about candidates if the ongoing movement becomes successful.”

The leaders who are being discussed as BNP candidates are: Gangachhara upazila BNP’s convener Waheduzzaman in Rangpur-1, former MP Mohammad Ali Sarker, Badarganj pourashava BNP’s convener Azizul Islam, Rangpur city BNP’s member secretary Mahfuz Un Nabi and lawyer Golam Rosul in Rangpur-2, city BNP’s convener Shamsuzzaman in Rangpur-3, industrialist Emdadul Haque Bhorosa and Afsar Ali in Rangpur-4 and district BNP’s convener Saiful Islam in Rangpur-6.

No names came as BNP’s probable candidate in Rangpur-5.