11 BNP leaders resign on allegation of party candidate rehabilitating AL in Tangail-8
BNP’s nominated candidate for the Tangail-8 (Sakhipur–Basail) constituency, Ahmed Azam Khan, has been accused of rehabilitating the Awami League, prompting 11 party leaders to resign. Five of them posted their resignation letters on Facebook late last night, Monday, while six more posted theirs by 2:00 pm today, Tuesday.
In addition, more than two hundred union- and ward-level leaders in Sakhipur upazila have also decided to resign on the same allegation, according to recently relieved upazila BNP president and freedom fighter Shahjahan Saju.
The five leaders who resigned together last night are upazila BNP general secretary and freedom fighter Abdul Based, upazila BNP vice-president Abdul Mannan, BNP member Ashraful Alam, Gajaria union BNP president Abdur Rouf, and Bahuria union BNP general secretary Latif Mia.
Meanwhile, those who resigned by 2:00 pm today are recently relieved upazila BNP president and freedom fighter Shahjahan Saju, Gajaria union BNP member secretary Md Mojibur Fakir, Gajaria union Jubo Dal convener Md Robiul Awal, member secretary Md Biplob, the same union’s ward 9 Jubo Dal general secretary Shamim Ahmed, and Dariyapur union Jubo Dal senior joint general secretary Sajidur Rahman.
Ahmed Azam Khan is a vice-chairman of the BNP’s central committee and the party’s nominated candidate for Tangail-8. He previously contested elections after securing BNP nominations in 2001 and 2008, but was defeated on both occasions.
BNP leaders allege that Ahmed Azam Khan held several secret meetings with upazila Awami League leaders and activists to secure votes for the election. At various party campaigns, meetings, and rallies, they (the Awami League members) sit in the front rows, and some even deliver speeches. Most of these leaders face cases for attacking students during the anti-discrimination movement. The resignation letters of the 11 BNP leaders are of the same nature, with identical language.
Commenting on the resignations, Sakhipur upazila BNP general secretary Abdul Based told Prothom Alo, “For some time now, I have been observing that Azam Khan values Awami League leaders and activists more in his quest for votes than our party leaders and activists. He gives them chairs in the front rows. When we protest this, the leadership threatens to expel us."
Shajahan Sazu, recently relieved from his post as upazila BNP president, said, “Last Wednesday, Ahmed Azam Khan threatened and verbally abused Khalek Mandal, the convener of Tangail district Muktijoddha Sangsad. Last Sunday night, after 54 years of the liberation war, he suddenly presented himself as a freedom fighter. I have endured jail and persecution for the party over the past 17 years. Yet he is reinstating Awami League leaders and activists, giving them places in the front rows. We feel humiliated by these actions of the leader. We demand the cancellation of Ahmed Azam Khan’s party nomination. If this is not done, over 200 leaders from BNP and its affiliated organisations will hold a press conference today and resign. They have already submitted their resignation letters to me.”
Nazim Uddin, acting president of the upazila BNP, told Prothom Alo over the phone today afternoon, “A faction within our party is engaged in a deep conspiracy to create controversy. To discredit Ahmed Azam Khan, a businessman has already become an independent candidate and is distributing money under the guise of donations. Those who resigned were due to be expelled for violating party discipline. Realising this, they submitted their resignations before being expelled.”
Advocate Ahmed Azam Khan, the BNP-nominated candidate for Tangail-8, told Prothom Alo today afternoon, “A deep conspiracy is underway against me, against the BNP, and against the sheaf of paddy. This time the people are united, and no conspiracy can stop the victory of the sheaf of paddy.”