The BNP will heave a sigh of relief with the passing of its annus horribilis—2015—which brought a great deal of bad luck to the party. Though the party grabbed the headlines at the beginning of the year with its continuous blockades, it failed to follow up its agitation against the Awami League (AL)-led government, with the movement petering out after a while. The BNP, which has faced a debacle since the general polls on January 5, 2014, made a turnaround by joining the December 30 municipal polls, buoying the spirits of the party rank and file. BNP leaders termed the year as one that killed democracy and repressed the opposition. The party slipped up right at the beginning of the year, taking a three-month violent course, including strikes and non-stop blockades, against the observance of the first anniversary of the January 5 polls, which it had boycotted.
Thousands of cases were filed against party leaders and activists, including acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam, on charges of arson, bombing and vandalising vehicles and public property, which left over 100 dead and many others injured.
A huge number of party leaders and activists—from the grassroots to the central level—were either put behind bars or forced to go into hiding to avoid arrest. Khaleda Zia, who lost her younger son Arafata Rahman Koko in Malaysia on January 24, returned home after living in her office for 92 days. The BNP spent most of the year in hibernation after party leaders and activists became frustrated and demoralised as their violent protests eventually failed to make any impression on the country’s political landscape.
The party took part in the corporation elections—Dhaka South, Dhaka North and Chittagong City—but all of its three candidates lost.
Khaleda spent over two months in London since September 15 for her eye and knee treatment. She celebrated Eid-ul-Azha there with her family members after eight years, especially with her elder son Tarique Rahman, who is in self-exile.
The initiative to reorganise the party at the grassroots level failed to meet its goal, which the party leaders blamed on obstruction by AL activists and law enforcers.
In a letter on August 9, Khaleda had asked the leaders to form new committees at all levels by holding conferences within a month. But only the Rangamati district committee has been formed so far. Hence, the party could not hold its national council either.
In a sudden move, BNP vice chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury on October 30 resigned from the party and announced his retirement from politics, citing “poor health”, triggering speculations in political circles.
The disappearance of BNP joint secretary general Salahuddin Ahmed was a much-talked-about incident of the year. He was apparently kidnapped by unidentified people from Uttara in Dhaka on the night of March 10. Indian police arrested him from Shillong in India’s Meghalaya state on May 11.
Khaleda only visited the party’s central office at Naya Paltan twice in 2015—once during the Dhaka corporation polls and again on May 30, the death anniversary of the late president and her husband, Ziaur Rahman.
Talking to The Independent, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir termed 2015 as “the year when democracy was killed”.
He claimed that the year had seen the highest number of political leaders and workers being arrested. Many leaders and activists “were forced to disappear”, he added.
The BNP leader, who spent eight months in jail, expressed hope that the New Year would “augur well for democracy, reflecting the hopes and aspirations of the people”.
BNP vice chairman Maj. (Retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed termed the year as a “black chapter in democracy”. He alleged that the ruling party has tarnished the country’s image in the global arena through “a fiesta of vote rigging” during the three city corporation polls and the just concluded municipal polls.
He regretted that the government had taken illegal means to stay in power.
The former minister feared that militancy in the country might take a severe turn if the government blocks the democratic process. He, too, expressed optimism that the coming year would bring good news for democracy.