'Ashol BNP' tries to occupy BNP's HQ again

Some people under the banner of "Ashol BNP" (literally meaning real BNP) yesterday made a failed attempt to enter the Naya Paltan central office of BNP, the third such incident in the last five months.

The group of 10 to 12 men was chased away by BNP activists as it closed in on the office after starting from Bijoynagar Nightingale intersection around 1:15pm, eyewitnesses said.

The "Ashol BNP" activists were carrying a banner with "Showdown of Revolution" written on it. They also chanted slogans on behalf of their leader and self-declared party convener, Kamrul Hasan Nasim, witnesses said.

But they took to their heels the moment BNP and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal men chased them with sticks in hand.

The BNP men later demonstrated there, chanting anti-government slogans. Officer-in-Charge of Paltan Police Station confirmed the incident.

BNP Joint Secretary General Rizvi Ahmed told The Daily Star that  it [Ashol BNP] was nothing but part of an evil design of the government to split BNP.

On January 2, a clash broke out with BNP activists after some 100 "Ashol BNP" men made an unsuccessful attempt to occupy the office. Their second bid on January 17 to occupy the office also failed.

Nasim came under the spotlight when he alleged on January 9 last year that the leadership of Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman in the BNP was "illegal".

The "Ashol BNP" convener, who claims to be a member of pro-BNP Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal in Jessore's Chowgachha, said he wanted to occupy the BNP central office to implement his plan to "reform and reorganise" BNP.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, Nasim said he would make fresh attempts "any moment" to take over the office.

Rizvi said Nasim was in no way involved with BNP or the party's associated bodies. "He is just a street boy. He has gone mad. Who is he to demand such reform in BNP? In fact he is a government agent."