BNP enters 42nd year with four aims

Bangladesh Nationalist Party has entered its 42nd year amidst dark days. The party chief is behind bars, it has failed to drum up a movement, its performance in the elections lack lustre at the best, unrest simmers within its alliances, its affiliated organisations are rife with inner conflict and differences brew between the leaders.

The party’s leaders, however, insist that they must consolidate a joint movement. They said that they intend to focus on four aims to move ahead. These objectives are to ensure party chairperson Khaleda Zia’s release from prison, reorganising the party, holding the party council within its 42nd year, and forming a greater unity which will include forcing an election.

However, certain leaders of the BNP, on condition of anonymity, have expressed their doubts as to how far they will be able to achieve these aims within the year.

BNP will observe its 41st anniversary on 1 September. Former president Ziaur Rahman founded the party in 1978. BNP has been commemorating its anniversary for the past two years in absence of its chief, Khaleda Zia.

Given the present circumstances, there is no scope for any movement, said BNP’s standing committee member Jamiruddin Sircar, speaking to Prothom Alo. He said, “We must proceed very carefully. The party can’t be destroyed in the process of politics. If we do anything, we are nabbed, arrested. Until and unless we have a chance to launch a movement, our hands are tied.”

Top leaders of the party including secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir raise the issue of chairperson Khaleda Zia’s release at every meeting and rally. Khaleda Zia has been behind bars for 18 months, charged with corruption.

BNP claims the charges against Khaleda Zia are false, but they have failed to launch an effective movement for her release, except for a few meetings, rallies and token hunger strikes.

Meanwhile, BNP is making an effort to reorganise itself, forming working committees at a local level and strengthening leadership at the grassroots.

Fresh committees are also being formed in the front organisations of the party. The student front Chhatra Dal will hold its council on 14 September this year, looking to get new leadership after 27 years thorough election.

Before Eid-ul-Azha, senior leaders of the party held public meetings in a number of district towns and are planning to continue this drive.

BNP’s last council was held in March 2016. They are supposed to hold councils every three years and this year the council was due in March. The leaders were undecided whether or not to hold the council with their leader incarcerated. However, they have now decided to do so and the council will probably be held in December this year.

BNP won a mere 6 seats in the 11th parliamentary polls. They accuse the government of rigging the election.

The party had boycotted the 10th general election. Before this 11th general election they formed the Jatiya Oikya Front, a coalition headed by Gono Forum president Dr Kamal Hossain. The coalition included Nagorik Oikya, JSD and Krishak Sramik Janata League and they joined the election under a common banner. However, things began to fall apart after the election.

The coalition has been inactive over the past five months. Krishak Sramik Janata League has left the fold.

BNP’s old 20-party alliance is also rife with rifts. Andaliv Rahman Partho, chairman of one of the allies BJP, has left the alliance. The alliance remains inert.

BNP has been speaking of a greater alliance over the past few months. It has been learnt that they want to forge a unity with other opposition parties, including the Jatiya Oikya Front. There have been no open meetings in this regard, though the leaders have been discussing the matter on an informal level. BNP wants to create the greater alliance and press for a fresh election.

Meanwhile, a sense of frustration has set in among the party leaders and activists, even at the top level, having failed to launch an anti-government movement. It was non-political elements, led by students, that created significant movements last year, but BNP could not take those issues forward.

The party said it is beset with cases and harassment. The leaders feel that a big movement is essential. However, they want to proceed with caution.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir recently told Prothom Alo that the party has been weathering a tremendous storm over the past 13 years, but still remains united. He felt things were bound to change.

BNP standing committee member Gayeswar Roy told Prothom Alo, “The democratic system is fragile now, more or less absent. We aim to restore democracy and establish a democratic rule. We are struggling for democracy.”

About the hard time through which BNP is passing, Gayeswar Roy said that the people were suffering even more. He said that Khaleda Zia’s imprisonment was part of the ploy to destroy democracy. He said that releasing Khaleda Zia and restoring democracy were one and the same.

* This report published in Prothom Alo online edition has been rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir