BNP will avoid conflict with govt, Jamaat
The BNP has adopted a strategy of avoiding any 'conflict' or 'dispute' with three key groups—the interim government, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the student leadership of the mass movement.
This approach will be followed ahead of the upcoming national election. The party’s policy-makers believe that, regardless of its relationship with the government, the BNP should maintain good rapport with them in order to participate in the election process.
To this end, the party plans to exert political pressure on the government while refraining from escalating disputes at this stage.
The same strategy is being applied to its relationship with Jamaat-e-Islami, mainly due to electoral considerations.
It is understood that the BNP intends to launch outdoor programmes in the new year as part of its broader strategy to pressure the government over the issue of elections. Before that, however, the party plans to reach out to the public with its 31-point proposal for state reforms.
As part of this outreach, the BNP will soon hold training workshops in 10 divisional cities. During these workshops, party leaders will distribute booklets outlining the 31-point reform proposals.
Grassroots leaders will then lead a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of these proposals. Following this, BNP leaders aim to initiate field-level programmes, demanding elections by March or April.
The aim of these continuous programmes is to put pressure on the interim government to announce the roadmap to the parliamentary election soon, relevant people said. The BNP leaders have been speaking about this almost everyday.
The main objective of the party’s huge procession in the capital on 8 November was to put pressure on the government regarding the election. The procession on that day paraded from the party’s headquarters at Naya Paltan to Maik Mia Avenue.
Through this successful organisation of the procession, the party leadership sent the message to the interim government that they want the parliamentary election to be held very soon.
The top leadership of BNP, however, has been finding many obstructions on the way to election. They apprehend that the interim government might want to stay in power for a longer period. They are suspicious about the statements of a few student leaders, the heroes of the mass uprising.
BNP is also keeping an eye on whether the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has any connection with the statements of the student leaders. This is because the BNP does hold that much sway on the leaders of Students Against Discrimination, the platform that led the movement. Rather, Jamaat-e-Islami has an upper hand in this regard.
The top leaders of the BNP have been maintaining cautiousness regarding the ongoing politics and the next parliamentary elections, especially keeping in mind three sides - the interim government, Jamaat-e-Islami and the student leaders.
Explaining the matter, the BNP senior leaders said they have been watching a significant change in the attitude of Jamaat-e-Islami since the 5 August mass uprising. The party has been aspiring for power instead of following the lead of the BNP.
They said the Jamaat leaders are making statements and observing party programmes aligning with that desire. This change in attitude of the Jamaat has forced the BNP to adopt various strategies.
Difference in opinions between the BNP and the Jamaat regarding the reform in constitution, resignation of the president and proportional representation in parliament has already come to the fore.
Jamaat-e-Islami seeks fundamental changes in the constitution and resignation of the president, and they are agreed in principle regarding proportional representation in parliament. But BNP is against all the stances of Jamaat.
Besides, the two parties have differences in opinions regarding the next parliamentary election too. There is a discussion in the political arena that Jamaat is not much interested in the election like BNP.
Some argue that Jamaat is not hurrying for the elections as the BNP would assume power if the election is held. The party is putting emphasis on reforms rather than the election, fearing that autocracy might return again in the changed context.
Apart from this, there have been rifts between the supporters of the BNP and Jamaat regarding postings in the education, administration and other government sectors since 5 August.
Jamaat-e-Islami’s central nayeb-e-amir Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, however, told Prothom Alo that every party including the BNP and Jamaat needs to have unanimity on fundamental issues for the stability in the country. This is because the political division could create a crisis for the country.
A senior leader of the BNP informed Prothom Alo that their acting chairman Tarique Rahman directed them not to get involved in any clash with Jamaat on these issues.
Several senior leaders of BNP also reiterated this stance, especially regarding the parliamentary election, in the party’s standing committee meeting on Monday. They also insisted on maintaining communication with Jamaat in this regard as the party seeks unanimity among the political leaders about elections.
BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, however, denied any such discussion about the Jamaat-e-Islami in Monday’s meeting.
He told Prothom Alo that a national unity is required to keep fascist Awami League and its enablers out. It is necessary to have unanimity among the political parties on certain issues.
BNP sources said that Monday’s meeting discussed continuing to put pressure on the interim government to force it to announce the election roadmap soon. The standing committee members also expressed their frustrations as the government has not announced the election roadmap though three months have passed by. That is why BNP hopes the government would announce the roadmap for elections by December. Otherwise, it will start field level programmes from March-April next year.
Speaking about this, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday told the media at his Thakurgaon residence that neither it is possible to clear the garbage of 17 years in 17 days or 17 months. That is why the incumbent government has to be given time.
He, however, stressed that the interim government does not need to get involved in reforming everything. The elected government and the parliament will do that.
Mirza Fakhrul also remarked that there should be national unity regarding the fundamental issues like independence and sovereignty, democracy and human rights.
*The report, originally published in the print and online editions of Prothom Alo, has been rewritten in English by Farjana Liakat and Shameem Reza