Reza Mahmud :
The BNP’s initiative to forge a national unity against militancy is facing new challenges as the court verdicts against party’s top leaders have created a new situation in the political arena.
Inside sources think Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman’s verdict for seven years jail in a money laundering case has harmed the unity process of the party. They think the government is playing a new game targeting the next national polls aiming to keep BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman out of the race.
“The conviction of Tarique Rahman is the result of the government’s ill motive to keep BNP away from the national unity process. They did not want national consensus against terrorism. But, we will go ahead with the democratic forces to combat extremism,” Dr. Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, party the standing committee member told The New Nation on Tuesday.
When asked, Dr. Mosharraf Hossain said BNP Chairperson continually sitting informal meetings with different walks of people to forge a national unity against militancy. The outcome in those meetings will decide what will be the principle of the unity, he added. He also said, the chairperson will invite different leaders to take tea together soon.
Due to BNP’s inactive conditions in national fields, the Chairperson’s call for national unity had created a fresh and vital atmosphere among the party men. The grassroots leaders and activists consider it may take BNP in a vital position for future movement to compel the government to give a national poll soon, the inside sources said.
They said the process was ongoing as Khaleda Zia sat with politicians and professionals to forge the national consensus. But, the verdict
against Tarique has made an obstacle in the national unity plan. A senior party leader said, the government wants to keep Begum Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman and other popular leaders out of election race. Since the government has started the new game centering the next polls, we must think about our own strategy, he added.
“The government wants to take Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman out of next election race by convicted them in baseless cases,” Advocate Khandakar Mahbub Hossain, BNP Chairperson’s advisor told The New Nation on Tuesday.
Replying a question, Advocate Khandakar Mahbub Hossain said after discussion with different politicians and professionals the Jamaat issue will be solved.
“If we think about militancy issue, we keep our ally Jamaat out of the process due to demands of some leaders like Gono Forum President Dr. Kamal Hossain, JSD President ASM Abdur Rab and others. But when we think about the national polls, then we think Jamaat is important in voting field. Now the high command is thinking how to manage the situation,” said some of the senior leaders.
Sources said party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had met with Tarique Rahman in London and discussed every issues of Bangladesh. The senior Vice Chairman reportedly directed to forge a national unity sans Jamaat.
Some of the leaders said, Jamaat and other ally of the 20-party alliance may be kept out of the national unity. While the others said, only registered parties will be taken in that consensus. Jamaat is not a registered party now.
The other leaders said, if Jamaat quit from the unity they will be again taken in the alliance before the next poll.
“Everything is depending on the on-going discussions,” they said.
The BNP’s initiative to forge a national unity against militancy is facing new challenges as the court verdicts against party’s top leaders have created a new situation in the political arena.
Inside sources think Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman’s verdict for seven years jail in a money laundering case has harmed the unity process of the party. They think the government is playing a new game targeting the next national polls aiming to keep BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman out of the race.
“The conviction of Tarique Rahman is the result of the government’s ill motive to keep BNP away from the national unity process. They did not want national consensus against terrorism. But, we will go ahead with the democratic forces to combat extremism,” Dr. Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, party the standing committee member told The New Nation on Tuesday.
When asked, Dr. Mosharraf Hossain said BNP Chairperson continually sitting informal meetings with different walks of people to forge a national unity against militancy. The outcome in those meetings will decide what will be the principle of the unity, he added. He also said, the chairperson will invite different leaders to take tea together soon.
Due to BNP’s inactive conditions in national fields, the Chairperson’s call for national unity had created a fresh and vital atmosphere among the party men. The grassroots leaders and activists consider it may take BNP in a vital position for future movement to compel the government to give a national poll soon, the inside sources said.
They said the process was ongoing as Khaleda Zia sat with politicians and professionals to forge the national consensus. But, the verdict
against Tarique has made an obstacle in the national unity plan. A senior party leader said, the government wants to keep Begum Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman and other popular leaders out of election race. Since the government has started the new game centering the next polls, we must think about our own strategy, he added.
“The government wants to take Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman out of next election race by convicted them in baseless cases,” Advocate Khandakar Mahbub Hossain, BNP Chairperson’s advisor told The New Nation on Tuesday.
Replying a question, Advocate Khandakar Mahbub Hossain said after discussion with different politicians and professionals the Jamaat issue will be solved.
“If we think about militancy issue, we keep our ally Jamaat out of the process due to demands of some leaders like Gono Forum President Dr. Kamal Hossain, JSD President ASM Abdur Rab and others. But when we think about the national polls, then we think Jamaat is important in voting field. Now the high command is thinking how to manage the situation,” said some of the senior leaders.
Sources said party’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had met with Tarique Rahman in London and discussed every issues of Bangladesh. The senior Vice Chairman reportedly directed to forge a national unity sans Jamaat.
Some of the leaders said, Jamaat and other ally of the 20-party alliance may be kept out of the national unity. While the others said, only registered parties will be taken in that consensus. Jamaat is not a registered party now.
The other leaders said, if Jamaat quit from the unity they will be again taken in the alliance before the next poll.
“Everything is depending on the on-going discussions,” they said.
