Ehsanul Haque Jasim :
The holy month of Ramzan is beginning at the weekend. The Iftar party politics has begun by this time.
The country’s major political parties, including the Awami League and the BNP, have devised month-long Iftar party programme in order to cement relations with political allies, supporters and critics. BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami intend to use the Iftar party as a media to preach their ideals to far and corner, and to ameliorate democratic values, sources said.
The parties will hold Iftar parties for foreign diplomats in order to intensify the international relations. They will also hold Iftar parties in honour of the businessmen, professionals, eminent citizens and others, as the parties are treating the Ramzan as extra opportunity to strengthen relation with the elite of the different sectors.
BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has already invited her arch rival Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her Iftar party scheduled for June 21. The BNP Chief will host the Iftar party in honour of political leaders at city’s Bashundhara Convention Centre.
On behalf of Begum Khaleda Zia, a BNP delegation led by its spokesman and International Affairs Secretary Dr Asaduzzaman Ripon went to the AL Chief’s Dhanmondi office on Monday morning with an invitation letter. The ruling party’s Deputy Office Secretary Mrinal Kanti Das and Assistant Office Secretary Abdul Majid received the letter on behalf of Sheikh Hasina.
Dr Ripon later told reporters, they are expecting the PM in their Iftar party. “Khaleda Zia as the chief of the country’s one of the biggest parties will host the Iftar party in honour of political leaders. We delivered her invitation letter to the Chief of the country’s another largest party. It is not merely a formality. We expect her (Sheikh Hasina’s) participation in the event,” he said.
The BNP hopes that the politicians will transmit a positive message to the people by joining such a social event. The BNP Chief would also invite all the senior leaders of Awami League and the leaders of all other major political parties in the June 21 Iftar party, he added.
Khaleda Zia will also host Iftar party for Ulema-Mashayekhs and orphans at the Ladies Club in the city on the first day of the Ramzan, while her Iftar party in honour of the professionals will be held on June 22, the fourth day of the Ramzan. She will also host Iftar party for diplomats, and will join several Iftar parties hosted by alliance partners and BNP’s front bodies.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina will also host several Iftar parties at Gona Bhaban. Her Iftar party for orphans and war-maimed freedom fighters will be held on the first day of the Ramzan. She will also hold an Iftar party in honour of political leaders like previous years. The PM will also attend different Iftar parties to be hosted by others.
Sources said, Sheikh Hasina would invite Khaleda Zia at her Iftar party alongside leaders of the other major parties. The PM’s invitation card for the BNP Chief will be sent today or tomorrow.
The AL and the BNP host Iftar functions every year with much fanfare by inviting party chiefs of other parties, but the two top leaders of the two major parties usually do not join Iftar programmes hosted by their opponents. Both of them also exchange greeting cards during Eid every year.
Ershad’s Jatiyo Party, Jamaat-e-Islami, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, LDP and other political parties have also planned to hold Iftar parties.
Jamaat-e-Islami is scheduled to hold the Iftar party for political leaders on June 25 in a city hotel. Khaleda Zia may join the function. The BNP Chief will also join Iftar parties of several other partners of BNP-led 20-party alliance and some front bodies of the BNP.
