Reza Mahmud :
The BNP’s plan to form national unity to resolve extremism issue suffered a setback at the outset due to contradictory opinions within the alliance partners, sources said.
Sources said, the BNP wants to include parties
like the Gano Forum, JSD, LDP, Bikalpo Dhara, CPB, BASOD and the Krishak Sramik Janata League in the platform, but these parties do not favour the Jamaat-e-Islami in the planned unity.
On the other hand, some parties in the alliances are strongly opposing accommodation of the Gano Forum and the Krishak Sramik Janata League in the proposed platform, as they made the plan uncertain.
“If the Gano Forum and Krishak Sramik Janata League are taken in the national unity, we will quit the BNP led alliances because of the controversial roles of the top two leaders of the parties,” said, Dr. Mustafizur Rahman Iran, the Chairman of the Labour Party. According to him, Gano Forum President Dr. Kamal Hosain played a controversial role during the formation of the Army-backed caretaker government, while Abdul Quader Siddique once said that he would not tolerate any conspiracy against the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“It was not a fair speech when we were waging movemt against the government. It is not clear whether he labelled our movement as a conspiracy,” Dr. Iran said.
Likewise, LDP Senior Joint-Secretary General Shahadat Hossain Selim said, “Abdul Quader Siddique’s speech was not favourable for the BNP led alliances. It is not clear why did he say so at that time?.”
But, the BNP high command thinks inclusion of the highly honoured leaders like former President Dr. AQM Badruddoja Chowdhury, Gano Forum President Dr. Kamal Hossain, eminent freedom fighter Abdul Quader Siddique, LDP President Colonel (Rtd) Oli Ahmad and JSD President ASM Abdur Rab will make the journey useful and the government may hold a fresh national election under non-partisan government.
Some senior leaders said, BNP high command want to forge a greater unity under the party leadership to combat terrorism. As such, parties outside the 20-party alliances may be included. But the planned process is not going ahead smoothly.
M Aminur Rahman, Secretary General of the Kalyan Party one ally of 20 party alliance said, the national unity will be fruitful if the like minded parties are there.
G. Mostofa Bhuiyan Secretary General of the Bangladesh NAP, another ally of the alliance said, we are not sure who will be the partners of the national consensus.
When contacted, BNP Standing Committee Member Dr. Mosharraf Hossain said, “Our Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is working to forge a national unity against extremism. What will be the principle of the platform and who will be its members that will be decided through discussion.”
The BNP’s plan to form national unity to resolve extremism issue suffered a setback at the outset due to contradictory opinions within the alliance partners, sources said.
Sources said, the BNP wants to include parties
like the Gano Forum, JSD, LDP, Bikalpo Dhara, CPB, BASOD and the Krishak Sramik Janata League in the platform, but these parties do not favour the Jamaat-e-Islami in the planned unity.
On the other hand, some parties in the alliances are strongly opposing accommodation of the Gano Forum and the Krishak Sramik Janata League in the proposed platform, as they made the plan uncertain.
“If the Gano Forum and Krishak Sramik Janata League are taken in the national unity, we will quit the BNP led alliances because of the controversial roles of the top two leaders of the parties,” said, Dr. Mustafizur Rahman Iran, the Chairman of the Labour Party. According to him, Gano Forum President Dr. Kamal Hosain played a controversial role during the formation of the Army-backed caretaker government, while Abdul Quader Siddique once said that he would not tolerate any conspiracy against the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“It was not a fair speech when we were waging movemt against the government. It is not clear whether he labelled our movement as a conspiracy,” Dr. Iran said.
Likewise, LDP Senior Joint-Secretary General Shahadat Hossain Selim said, “Abdul Quader Siddique’s speech was not favourable for the BNP led alliances. It is not clear why did he say so at that time?.”
But, the BNP high command thinks inclusion of the highly honoured leaders like former President Dr. AQM Badruddoja Chowdhury, Gano Forum President Dr. Kamal Hossain, eminent freedom fighter Abdul Quader Siddique, LDP President Colonel (Rtd) Oli Ahmad and JSD President ASM Abdur Rab will make the journey useful and the government may hold a fresh national election under non-partisan government.
Some senior leaders said, BNP high command want to forge a greater unity under the party leadership to combat terrorism. As such, parties outside the 20-party alliances may be included. But the planned process is not going ahead smoothly.
M Aminur Rahman, Secretary General of the Kalyan Party one ally of 20 party alliance said, the national unity will be fruitful if the like minded parties are there.
G. Mostofa Bhuiyan Secretary General of the Bangladesh NAP, another ally of the alliance said, we are not sure who will be the partners of the national consensus.
When contacted, BNP Standing Committee Member Dr. Mosharraf Hossain said, “Our Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is working to forge a national unity against extremism. What will be the principle of the platform and who will be its members that will be decided through discussion.”
