B Chy, Mahi 'relieved' of party posts

A new committee of Bikalpadhara Bangladesh was announced yesterday “relieving” its President Prof AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, Secretary General Maj (retd) Abdul Mannan and Joint Secretary General Mahi B Chowdhury of their posts.

Shah Alam Badol, who was expelled from the party's vice-president post a few days ago, announced the committee.

Read more: New alliance launched

Nurul Amin Bepari, a presidium member of the party, was made the new president and Badol the new secretary general of the party.

“Following the party charter, we have decided to relieve AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, Abdul Mannan and Mahi B Chowdhury of their party posts. We want to say that we are the party's main part,” Nurul said at a press conference in front of the Jatiya Press Club yesterday.

At the briefing, Badol said the new committee was formed under the leadership of party's presidium member Nurul. “We will constitute the full committee very soon.”

Asked why B Chowdhury was not expelled from the party, Badol said, “He is a respected person and a good soul. But his son Mahi is not a good soul and only for him, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh could not join the Oikyafront.”

Claiming themselves as the main part of Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, they said they would join the newly formed alliance, Jatiya Oikyafront.

In a party forum, Bikalpadhara's vice-president Badol strongly protested as it did not join the Oikyafront. On October 13, Bikalpadhara President Badruddoza expelled Badol and some others for violating party discipline.

Badol claimed that they booked a hall to hold the conference at the Jatiya Press Club yesterday, but the booking was cancelled. “We don't know who cancelled the booking.”

Bikalpadhara did not join the Jatiya Oikyafront, saying that they would not join the combine if the BNP did not cut its ties with Jamaat.

Asked about the issue of Jamaat, Badol said, “None of us supports Jamaat. It was an excuse of Mahi for not joining the alliance. Party's Secretary General Major (retd) Manna's corruption news was published in a newspaper. A corrupt person should not be with us.”

Contacted, Mahi B Chowdhury said, “Nurul Amin Bepari was inactive in the party for the last three years. He neither resigned from the party nor became active. Shah Alam Badol was expelled from the party. So, how can they relieve us of the party posts as they are not a member of the party? And a member of the party cannot expel or relieve the president and the general secretary of the party.”

After weeks of talks and intense negotiations, the BNP and four other political parties launched the Jatiya Oikyafront on October 13, just months before the national election.

Four other parties are -- Gonoforum led by Dr Kamal Hossain, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal led by ASM Abdur Rab, Nagorik Oikya led by Mahmudur Rahman Manna and Forward Party.

“Bikalpadhara will not engage in any conspiracy to bring back the BNP to power until it [BNP] cuts its ties with the anti-liberation force [Jamaat] and agrees to bring balance of power in Jatiya Sangsad,” B Chowdhury had said that day.