'Did I split the party': Maj. Hafiz on BNM and Shakib Al Hasan
BNP's vice chairman Major Hafiz Uddin (retd) has said that he had received an offer to form a new party before the election, but had turned it down.
He said, cricketer Shakib Al Hasan had been brought to him, but he did not encourage Shakib Al Hasan to join the new party.
The BNP leader was talking at a press briefing held today, Tuesday, at his residence in Banani of the capital. The press briefing had been arranged for him to clarify his stand concerning BNM, known as the "King's party" as well as about his photograph with Shakib Al Hasan.
Hafiz Uddin Ahmed asked, "What did I do? Did I join BNM? Did I split the party?"
He said, it is clear that he had been asked to join the new party. He did not accept the offer. Propaganda is being spread to create confusion.
Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said, BNP does not hold councils. He had given advice regarding this several times. But he had never made any derogatory comment about Begum Zia
A few media reports recently stated that Hafiz Uddin Ahmed had worked behind the scenes to form BNM. Shakib Al Hasan joined that party. A picture of Hafiz Uddin Ahmed along with Shakib Al Hasan had also been published.
Speaking about the issue, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said, there is no democracy in the country. Politics is extremely dirty. All sorts of tricks and tactics are taken up during the election. Whichever party is in power tries to harm the rival side by luring some of their people into their camp or any other party to contest in the election.
Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said that a number of retired army officials had advised that he forms a new party. He said, "I told them, there is no shortcut in politics."
From around six months before the 7 January election, important people from the ruling party had begun contacting him, said Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, adding, "They saw that I sometimes differed from BNP's policy matters and so thought I would be willing to leave BNP." He said, "I told them, it is not possible for me to leave the party after 32 years. I am unwell. I will soon retire from politics."
While pressure from the ruling party mounted, a minister declared that Hafiz Uddin Ahmed had joined BNM. Referring to this, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said, "I held a press briefing the very next day and said that I would remain in BNP."
Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said that it would have been good if an election had been held under UN mediation. It would have been good if BNP took part in such an election. He said, the outcome would be the same for BNP if they joined the election under prime minister Sheikh Hasina
Saying that BNM had been formed at the behest of a few retired army officers, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said, it was the retired army officers who had brought Shakib Al Hasan to him. Shakib has expressed his desire to join politics.
Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said, "I told Shakib that it was up to him whether he entered politics or not. I said, you are still playing, so think first before you join politics. Not receiving any encouragement from me, he left."
Replying to questions from newspersons about BNM's registration, Hafiz Uddin said, it is unrealistic that a party will be given registration based on his words. He had not made any such recommendation. He said, "You are well aware about who do all this."
Replying to another question, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said, BNP does not hold councils. He had given advice regarding this several times. But he had never made any derogatory comment about Begum Zia.
Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said that it would have been good if an election had been held under UN mediation. It would have been good if BNP took part in such an election. He said, the outcome would be the same for BNP if they joined the election under prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, twice a minister and six times member of parliament, spoke about his role in the liberation war, politics, his position as minister, his prison sentence, and more. He told the press briefing that during the liberation war it was he had led a rebellion in the Jashore cantonment. He fought for eight hours and escaped from there. He organised the liberation war in that region.
Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said, this 80-year-old valiant freedom fighter was sent to jail in March. That was a false case. This pained him. He said. "I was accused to setting fire to a Janata Bank vehicle. The police had filed the case. The police were the witnesses too."
The BNP leader also spoke to obstructing many looters when he had been the chairman of Janata Bank 32 years ago.
On 28 December last year, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment in a case filed nearly 12 years ago at the Gulshan police station in the capital, where he was accused of damaging vehicles and arson. He had not been present in court when the sentence was passed. The court issued an arrest warrant against him.
After completing medical treatment in India, he returned and appeared in court on 5 March. The court ordered that he be sent to jail. He was released on bail six days later.
Before the election, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed had tried to go to India in December for treatment of his knee problems. He was sent back from the airport. Later, after appealing to the court, he went to India on 14 December.
Hafiz Uddin Ahmed told the press briefing that it was not an easy matter to leave a party after 32 years. Why should I leave it, he asked?