BNP in dire straits

Party celebrates 37th founding anniversary today

The BNP is celebrating its 37th founding anniversary at a time when it is going through its worst phase since its formation in 1978.Ziaur Rahman, a late president,  founded the party on this day, merging components of all like-minded nationalist forces among varied left, right and centrist parties and organisations.The party established itself as a populist organisation through many political ups and downs, including military intervention in 1982 and 2007, and ruled the country several times.
But party leaders think the party has now been pushed into a corner, after the Awami League (AL) won the December 2008 general elections under the supervision of the military-backed caretaker government, led by Fakhruddin Ahmed.
BNP leaders and activists at different levels have become frustrated, as most of them are on the run to evade police harassment, having been implicated in “false cases”.
Again, several thousand of them are currently in prison on various charges of vandalism and violence, said party leaders.
The party leaders also attributed the current state of the party to their failures in the last two anti-government agitations, one before the January 5 elections last year and another non-stop countrywide hartal and blockade for three months.
As of August 1, as many as 22,000 cases have been filed, implicating some 400,000 leaders and activists, of whom around 17,000 are still in prison, according to data provided by the party’s central office.
Party sources said “false cases” have been filed against ward-level to central-level leaders on charges of vandalism and violence.
According to the party officials, 130 cases were filed against Juba Dal president Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, while 103 were filed against
Secchashebok Dal president and city BNP member secretary Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel. Party chief Khaleda and her eldest son Tarique have been implicated in several cases on different charges
The party’s acting secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who is now in the US for treatment, has been implicated in 87 cases, while standing committee member Goyeshwar Chandra Roy has been booked in 26 cases, they said.
Talking to The Independent, BNP standing committee member Lt Gen. Mahbubur Rahman admitted that the party is experiencing its worst days.
“It is true that we are passing through a bad phase. It is a major challenge for the BNP to overcome the situation by forcing the government to hold a free and fair poll under a neutral government,” he said. The former army chief recalled the contributions of Ziaur Rahman, saying that Zia had emerged as the leader during national crises.
“Zia had restored democracy, brought economic emancipation, and consolidated the nation in a united way,” he added.
The BNP leader said the party had recorded many achievements in the past, and it has also had some failures. However, he wanted to describe the failures as the “incompleteness” of the movement.
“The problems we faced during our movements in recent times still exist. So, the BNP’s major challenge is to face repressive action and cases, and force the government to hold a free and fair election,” he added. BNP vice president Abdullah Al Noman also echoed Rahman’s view, saying it was true that the party was going through its worst phase. He, however, argued that the party has been pushed into a corner after having earned the wrath of the government, rather than because of organisational weaknesses.
“The government is trying to suppress the party through repressive action and implicating party leaders in false cases. Despite all these troubles, the party is forging ahead; we shall compel the government to hold a free and fair poll,” he added.
Meanwhile, insiders said the party has started reorganisation activities in its 74 units, barring Dhaka city. A letter has already been sent to the grassroots level to complete the party’s reorganisation by September 30.
But many feel that unless party’s defacto leader Tarique Rahman would return home from London, party would not get the o0rganisational momentum required to rejuvenate the party.
Tarique, party’s senior vice chairman and eldest son of Khaleda, was forced to go to London during the military backed caretaker government in 2008. The BNP has also adopted elaborate programmes to mark the party’s founding anniversary.
As part of the programmes, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia will place a wreath at the mazar of late president Ziaur Rahman at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar at 10am. The BNP will also organise a discussion meeting at the Institute of Diploma Engineers at 3pm to observe the day.
In a statement, Khaleda Zia asserted that the party was determined to protect the country’s independence and sovereignty, and restore multiparty democracy.
The former premier said, “The country’s democracy has been facing an adverse situation, but the people of the country have always saved democracy by any means.”
She said, “The people have always come forward in the movement against dictatorship and anti-democratic rule, and they have fought with courage and faced the challenges with bravery.”
In another development, BNP spokesperson Dr Asaduzzaman Khan Ripon, at a press conference yesterday, accused the government of obstructing the party’s founding anniversary celebrations at many districts and upazilas (sub-districts) in the country.
“BNP workers were beaten up by law enforcement personnel and ruling party activists in many places while they were putting up posters relating to the founding anniversary,” he said. He also alleged that members of law enforcement agencies yesterday vandalised a canopy of pro-BNP cultural organisation, Zia Sangskritik Sangathan, by the side of Ziaur Rahman’s grave, where they were scheduled to organise a voluntary blood donation programme.

 

BNP in dire straits

Party celebrates 37th founding anniversary today

The BNP is celebrating its 37th founding anniversary at a time when it is going through its worst phase since its formation in 1978.Ziaur Rahman, a late president, founded the party on this day, merging components of all like-minded nationalist forces among varied left, right and centrist parties and organisations.The party established itself as a populist organisation through many political ups and downs, including military intervention in 1982 and 2007, and ruled the country several times. But party leaders think the party has now been pushed into a corner, after the Awami League (AL) won the December 2008 general elections under the supervision of the military-backed caretaker government, led by Fakhruddin Ahmed. BNP leaders and activists at different levels have become frustrated, as most of them are on the run to evade police harassment, having been implicated in false cases. Again, several thousand of them are currently in prison on various charges of vandalism and violence, said party leaders. The party leaders also attributed the current state of the party to their failures in the last two anti-government agitations, one before the January 5 elections last year and another non-stop countrywide hartal and blockade for three months. As of August 1, as many as 22,000 cases have been filed, implicating some 400,000 leaders and activists, of whom around 17,000 are still in prison, according to data provided by the partys central office. Party sources said false cases have been filed against ward-level to central-level leaders on charges of vandalism and violence. According to the party officials, 130 cases were filed against Juba Dal president Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, while 103 were filed against Secchashebok Dal president and city BNP member secretary Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel. Party chief Khaleda and her eldest son Tarique have been implicated in several cases on different charges The partys acting secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, who is now in the US for treatment, has been implicated in 87 cases, while standing committee member Goyeshwar Chandra Roy has been booked in 26 cases, they said. Talking to The Independent, BNP standing committee member Lt Gen. Mahbubur Rahman admitted that the party is experiencing its worst days. It is true that we are passing through a bad phase. It is a major challenge for the BNP to overcome the situation by forcing the government to hold a free and fair poll under a neutral government, he said. The former army chief recalled the contributions of Ziaur Rahman, saying that Zia had emerged as the leader during national crises. Zia had restored democracy, brought economic emancipation, and consolidated the nation in a united way, he added. The BNP leader said the party had recorded many achievements in the past, and it has also had some failures. However, he wanted to describe the failures as the incompleteness of the movement. The problems we faced during our movements in recent times still exist. So, the BNPs major challenge is to face repressive action and cases, and force the government to hold a free and fair election, he added. BNP vice president Abdullah Al Noman also echoed Rahmans view, saying it was true that the party was going through its worst phase. He, however, argued that the party has been pushed into a corner after having earned the wrath of the government, rather than because of organisational weaknesses. The government is trying to suppress the party through repressive action and implicating party leaders in false cases. Despite all these troubles, the party is forging ahead; we shall compel the government to hold a free and fair poll, he added. Meanwhile, insiders said the party has started reorganisation activities in its 74 units, barring Dhaka city. A letter has already been sent to the grassroots level to complete the partys reorganisation by September 30. But many feel that unless partys defacto leader Tarique Rahman would return home from London, party would not get the o0rganisational momentum required to rejuvenate the party. Tarique, partys senior vice chairman and eldest son of Khaleda, was forced to go to London during the military backed caretaker government in 2008. The BNP has also adopted elaborate programmes to mark the partys founding anniversary. As part of the programmes, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia will place a wreath at the mazar of late president Ziaur Rahman at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar at 10am. The BNP will also organise a discussion meeting at the Institute of Diploma Engineers at 3pm to observe the day. In a statement, Khaleda Zia asserted that the party was determined to protect the countrys independence and sovereignty, and restore multiparty democracy. The former premier said, The countrys democracy has been facing an adverse situation, but the people of the country have always saved democracy by any means. She said, The people have always come forward in the movement against dictatorship and anti-democratic rule, and they have fought with courage and faced the challenges with bravery. In another development, BNP spokesperson Dr Asaduzzaman Khan Ripon, at a press conference yesterday, accused the government of obstructing the partys founding anniversary celebrations at many districts and upazilas (sub-districts) in the country. BNP workers were beaten up by law enforcement personnel and ruling party activists in many places while they were putting up posters relating to the founding anniversary, he said. He also alleged that members of law enforcement agencies yesterday vandalised a canopy of pro-BNP cultural organisation, Zia Sangskritik Sangathan, by the side of Ziaur Rahmans grave, where they were scheduled to organise a voluntary blood donation programme.