BCL president campaigned for BNP in 2008 election, alleges vice president

The tenure of BCL’s central committee led by president Al Nahian Khan and general secretary Lekhak Bhattacharjee has already been expired. There has been a discontent in the organisation as Al Nahian Khan and Lekhak Bhattacharjee allegedly do not want to leave the leadership soon. Leaders and activists of BCL observed allegations brought by Iyaz Al Riad are the expression of such anger.

Iyaz Al Riad over Facebook Live said Al Nahian Khan took the entry test of Dhaka University before the 2008 parliamentary election. At that time, his cousin allegedly was the president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal’s (JCD) Salimullah Hall unit. Al Nahian Khan stayed at his cousin’s room, attended the admission coaching and took the test. He campaigned for paddy sheaf, electoral symbol of BNP, on behalf of the JCD during the national election held on 29 December 2008. Recently, Al Nahian Khan also used his power and helped his cousin, who has long been involved in BNP, win against Awami League in the union parishad election.

The BCL vice president alleged the father of Al Nahian Khan sought nomination from BNP to contest in Babuganj-Ujirpur constituency in 1991 election but he did not receive nomination. After BNP came to power following the 1991 election, his father got a job at the insurance company owned by businessman and BNP leader Abdul Awal Mintoo. At that time, he worked as the personal assistant to BNP leader Nazmul Huda. The father of Al Nahian Khan as a dummy candidate of BNP contested the 15 February 1996 election, which was boycotted by Awami League.

Iyaz Al Riad called Al Nahian Khan to refute these allegations. He said allegations may surface but Al Nahian Khan must reply. The president should refute these allegations so no confusion arises among leaders and activists of BCL over him and no leader and activist becomes misled and is deviated from the party’s ideology.

At one point on Facebook Live, Iyaz Al Riad also brought allegation against the BCL general secretary saying there are a slew of allegations against Al Nahian Khan and Lekhak Bhattacharjee. They have been putting the organisation into question by carrying out many activities violating the organisational rules and norms. And, those, who are the offspring of the families who helped Awami League during its crisis, talked about these issues and the BCL leadership identified them and kept these people away from the organisation.

BCL general secretary Lekhak Bhattacharjee could not be reached for comment.

The 29th national council of BCL was held on 2018. A new committee was formed with Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon and Golam Rabbani as president and general secretary respectively on 31 July that year.

Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury and Golam Rabbani were axed from the posts in 2019 on various allegations of demanding extortion money from the government development projects. At that time, Al Nahian Khan and Lekhak Bhattacharjee was made acting president and general secretary. They made president and general secretary on 4 January 2020 on the occasion of BCL anniversary.

When Al Nahian Khan and Lekhak Bhattacharjee took over BCL leadership, senior Awami League leader Abdur Rahman, who was tasked with overseeing BCL, told Prothom Alo the new leardeship would carry out the responsibility for the remaining 10 months of Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury’s and Golam Rabbani’s tenure.

Those 10 months ended long ago. Many BCL leaders alleged Al Nahian Khan and Lekhak Bhattacharjee have adopted various means to keep their positions despite the end of their term. Almost all leaders and activists of BCL want the national council be held soon for the sake of the organisation.