Signs are BNP going farther right

Formation of BNP's new committee excluding apparently cornered but dedicated leaders, especially veteran freedom fighters known as progressive-minded, indicates party chief Khaleda Zia's major policy shift from progressive to more rightist, insiders say.

To back up their observations, the party insiders argue that Khaleda and her son Tarique Rahman have given priority to sons, family members and even personal staff of the two convicted war criminals -- Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Abdul Alim -- instead of incorporating many tested and grassroots leaders.

More grievances and displacement have meanwhile been pouring in following announcement of the 502-member central executive committee and 17-member standing committee, the highest policymaking body of BNP.

The insiders say leaders loyal to Tarique or those who could please him staying in London since late 2008 have got berth in the upper position in the party.

Besides, several BNP senior leaders said Khaleda did not consult them during formation of the new committee that unfolded criticism in and outside the party.

A number of BNP leaders said Khaleda even did not consult with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir. Some BNP men also alleged that Khaleda's special assistant Shimul Biswas and BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed influenced the chief to form the new committee.

Some even said Fakhrul had no idea about the committee until Khaleda gave him the list to make it public through a press conference on Saturday.

Several leaders of BNP and former Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the party's student front, yesterday told The Daily Star that the most painful and disappointing matter is that several unfamiliar leaders and businesspersons have been included in the new committee who were not involved in any stage of the party.

Pointing to the mega size committee, a BNP standing committee member said the ruling Chinese Communist Party, which has nearly one crore member, has a politburo of only 25 members and its standing committee is comprised of seven members.

“We have got a huge committee after dropping many tested and dedicated leaders who remained active on roads braving police harassment when many others went into hiding in late 2013,” the BNP policymaker said asking not to be identified.

Citing an example, he mentioned the name of Shamimur Rahman Shamim, who was an assistant office secretary in the previous committee. In the new committee he has been made the number three assistant publicity secretary, which means demotion in post.

“Out of grievance, Shamim on Saturday night announced to resign from his post,” he told The Daily Star.

Resignation of BNP's influential leader Mosaddek Ali Falu, considered very loyal to Khaleda, from his new vice-chairman post, came as a major blow for the party, many leaders believe.

Sources say the new committee, which has apparently undermined some veteran BNP leaders, has dissatisfied Falu.

Asked about BNP's leaning to be more rightist leaving the progressive path, another BNP standing committee member said, “If we compare BNP's past with the present, we see the party has left the path of Bangalee nationality, the spirit of the Liberation War and the national ideology.

“And the new committee is nothing but the continuation of that process,” he added.

A senior BNP leader said long-serving leaders Sadeque Hossain Khoka, a veteran freedom fighter, Abdullah Al Noman, Maj (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed, also a veteran freedom fighter, were not given deserving posts in the new committee.

The vice-chairman post of the three senior leaders remained unchanged in the new committee.

Noman, whose vice-chairman post remained unchanged, said many of his followers became frustrated as they expected to see him in the standing committee.

A former JCD leader said eight leaders, including newly added Salahuddin Ahmed, who has been facing trial in a Shillong court on charge of trespassing and whom Noman introduced in politics, remain in the standing committee.

“There are 502 men in the new committee. I am sure 400 of them will not come to take to the street if madam calls for an anti-government programme. But we will attend it no matter if we are kept in the committee or not as we love BNP,” said a former chief of JCD who was made a member in the executive committee.