BNP and other like-minded parties have been elated since the London meeting, with focus shifted to the upcoming parliamentary election.
Leaders and activists are eagerly waiting for the return of the BNP acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, who has been in exile in London for years.
On the flip side, some parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP), are dissatisfied to some extent. They are emerging as rivals to the BNP in the next election and afterwards.
On Friday, a meeting took place in London between chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus and BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman. In a joint statement after the meeting, they announced that the election might be held in the week before Ramadan. It led to a visible shift in BNP leaders’ critical stance towards the chief adviser.
There remains curiosity in many quarters regarding what other issues, aside from election timing, were discussed in the private meeting between Yunus and Tarique.
We protested against a step by adviser Khalilur Rahman over a particular issue and demanded his resignation. This is part of regular political practice.
BNP leaders claimed that contentious topics like the management of Chattogram Port or establishing a humanitarian corridor to Myanmar’s Rakhine state were not discussed in the meeting. There was no discussion about the party’s demand for resignation of three advisers from the interim government. Notably, one of the three advisers in question – national security adviser Khalilur Rahman – received Tarique Rahman before the meeting in London.
When asked in this regard, BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury told Prothom Alo on Saturday night, “We protested against a step by adviser Khalilur Rahman over a particular issue and demanded his resignation. This is part of regular political practice. Moreover, it is up to the government to decide whom they will keep in a meeting. Here, it is normal for a political party to act with decorum in such matters.”
Still, questions remain about what transpired in the private talks that led to a sudden shift in the chief adviser’s stance within just a week. Before his speech to the nation on 6 June, multiple advisers and close aides advised Professor Yunus to schedule the election for early February. However, the chief adviser rejected it and announced a likely date in early April.
BNP will seek counsel and support from Professor Yunus if it wins the next election and gets the responsibility to run the country. Here, BNP intends to leverage his experience and international connections.
According to political analysts, the meeting may have resulted in more than just a consensus on election timing. It seems that the two leaders reached a consensus over nation-building in future, in addition to the election date.
Speaking to Prothom Alo, BNP standing committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said the meeting discussed not only the current situation but also other issues, including nation-building. Professor Muhammad Yunus is a globally respected economist and international figure. BNP will seek counsel and support from Professor Yunus if it wins the next election and gets the responsibility to run the country. Here, BNP intends to leverage his experience and international connections.
However, in an event at Chatham House in London on 11 June, Professor Yunus categorically ruled out taking any political role in the future and rejected the idea of a referendum. He also dismissed earlier claims made by some quarters that he wanted to delay the election or harboured political ambitions. He insisted that his government’s responsibility is ensuring a smooth power transition, and that no advisers have other intentions.
There are discussions in political circles that BNP had been under pressure in recent months due to various issues. It now came to an advantageous position through the London meeting.
According to sources, Professor Yunus’ candid comments and cordial meeting with Tarique Rahman have assured the BNP leadership. They now want to move past their earlier criticisms of Yunus.
At the same time, there are discussions in political circles that BNP had been under pressure in recent months due to various issues. It now came to an advantageous position through the London meeting.
About the meeting, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said, “This meeting proves that in times of national crisis, we can get united… and it is important to stay united at such times. Parties might have made mistakes in the past over various issues. If we stick to the mistakes, we will not be able to move forward, and will not be able to materialise the new Bangladesh that we are dreaming of.”
Parties like the Jamaat and the NCP believe that the joint statement by the government and the BNP sent a message that the BNP is the sole political power. It indicated the government and the BNP as equal forces, undermining other parties.
Despite understanding over the election, concerns remain about reforms, implementation of the July charter, and justice for the July uprising victims. The NCP has consistently demanded reforms, July charter, and trials, while the Jamaat-e-Islami, the Islami Andolan, and some other parties have also been vocal. After the meeting in London, the BNP said issues like reforms and the July charter will be solved through a consensus, while trials will continue.
Parties like the Jamaat and the NCP believe that the joint statement by the government and the BNP sent a message that the BNP is the sole political power. It indicated the government and the BNP as equal forces, undermining other parties. In the aftermath, other parties might be subjected to administrative and state machinery bias during the election.
It was learned that the Jamaat is planning to raise the issue formally with the chief adviser. In a press release on Saturday, the Jamaat said that the joint press conference after the meeting led to concerns among the people over a free, fair, and credible election.
Here, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury came up with a different view and asserted that there is nothing like undermining other political parties. While speaking to Prothom Alo, he said how do other pirates become equal when the BNP is a large and most popular political party? A timeline has been fixed now, and all agreed in this regard. Jamaat itself suggested an election in February.
Meanwhile, BNP and other like-minded parties expressed enthusiasm over the successful London meeting. They issued statements saying that mutual distrust has been dispelled and the path to election has been cleared.
BNP sources also said the party will now focus fully on the election, and prepare its future programmes accordingly. |