Sagar Biswas :
Country’s political circle is now witnessing a drama when a section of leaders of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal [JSD], a component of ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance, formed a new committee protesting ‘undemocratic practice’ in electing party president and general secretary .
The news got extra importance as four of JSD’s six lawmakers have joined hands with the dissidents in the party’s council session held at Mahanagar
Natyamancha in the city on Saturday night. The two-day national council was inaugurated by JSD president Hasanul Haq Inu, who is also Information Minister, at the city’s Suhrawardy Uddyan earlier on Friday.
The new JSD faction has been formed under the leadership of Sharif Nurul Ambia [former party general secretary] as President and Nazmul Haque Prodhan as its General Secretary. Party lawmaker Mayeenuddin Khan Badal has been made executive president of the new faction, which is now known as JSD [Ambia- Pradhan].
“We were compelled to declare a new committee under pressure of the councillors, when Shirin Akhter MP was made general secretary ignoring the demand for holding election on secret ballots. She was made general secretary undemocratically,” explaining the reasons behind the split, Sharif Nurul Ambia said.
“At the same time, Inu was again endorsed as party president in voice votes ignoring the demand for secret ballots raised by most of the councilors….. It was also a clear violation of the party constitution. We will form a full-fledged committee soon. Most of the standing committee and central committee members and councillors are with us,” Ambia further claimed.
Party insiders told The New Nation on Sunday that the formation of new committee was nothing but the outburst of disagreement among the party leaders over “six reform proposals” that were placed in party’s central and national councils last year.
In the national committee meeting [July 30-31, 2015], the then general secretary Sharif Nurul Ambia had placed a three-page proposal titled ‘Politics of JSD: Ideological matter – a review and some proposals’ for discussion only at party level.
In that review, Ambia differed with many vital policies of JSD, including future of socialism across the globe. Not only that, he also opined that it would be not pragmatic for JSD to establish socialism [in Bangladesh] after achieving state power. Ambia also proposed to change the name of party [JSD] and its student wing JSD Chattra League along with their slogans.
But some members of JSD 14-member standing committee, including Hasanul Haq Inu, Mir Hossain Akhtar, Iqbal Hossain Khan, Shirin Akhter and Habibur Rahman Shawkat, strongly opposed these proposals. Not only that, the JSD Chhatra League also protested the proposals to change the name of organisation, the insiders said.
Meanwhile, after beginning of the council on Saturday night, the councillors started discussion on electing party president. At that time, some councilors proposed to elect Hasanul Haq Inu again by amending the constitution. After that, the same group proposed to elect general secretary through voice votes. At that time, Sharif Nurul Ambia protested the decisions and asked to follow the party constitution in electing new leaders. Tense situation aroused there when he demanded secret ballot.
Pointing the issue, Ambia said, “Hasanul Haq Inu is now minister and he has been working as party president for a long time. It is an undemocratic practice. It needs amendment of party constitution for electing him president again. We can’t stand this situation as a real politician….. There is no president candidate in party council, except Inu. This practice can’t continue for uncertain period.”
But the split was not done only for Inu, Ambia said, It actually happened due to electing Shirin Akhter as general secretary undemocratically. “Some leaders, including party president [Inu], made Shirin Akhter general secretary in voice votes. But the councillors were demanding votes on secret ballot,” he added.
Interestingly, Shirin Akhter categorically denied the allegation. “Inu was elected president unopposed by the councillors as none contested him. Besides, the election to the general secretary post went on till 1:30am on Sunday.”
The JSD was separated from the then Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student front of Awami League, in 1972. It was spilt again in 2002 when some of its leaders led by ASM Abdur Rob floated new faction JSD-Rob.
Country’s political circle is now witnessing a drama when a section of leaders of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal [JSD], a component of ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance, formed a new committee protesting ‘undemocratic practice’ in electing party president and general secretary .
The news got extra importance as four of JSD’s six lawmakers have joined hands with the dissidents in the party’s council session held at Mahanagar
Natyamancha in the city on Saturday night. The two-day national council was inaugurated by JSD president Hasanul Haq Inu, who is also Information Minister, at the city’s Suhrawardy Uddyan earlier on Friday.
The new JSD faction has been formed under the leadership of Sharif Nurul Ambia [former party general secretary] as President and Nazmul Haque Prodhan as its General Secretary. Party lawmaker Mayeenuddin Khan Badal has been made executive president of the new faction, which is now known as JSD [Ambia- Pradhan].
“We were compelled to declare a new committee under pressure of the councillors, when Shirin Akhter MP was made general secretary ignoring the demand for holding election on secret ballots. She was made general secretary undemocratically,” explaining the reasons behind the split, Sharif Nurul Ambia said.
“At the same time, Inu was again endorsed as party president in voice votes ignoring the demand for secret ballots raised by most of the councilors….. It was also a clear violation of the party constitution. We will form a full-fledged committee soon. Most of the standing committee and central committee members and councillors are with us,” Ambia further claimed.
Party insiders told The New Nation on Sunday that the formation of new committee was nothing but the outburst of disagreement among the party leaders over “six reform proposals” that were placed in party’s central and national councils last year.
In the national committee meeting [July 30-31, 2015], the then general secretary Sharif Nurul Ambia had placed a three-page proposal titled ‘Politics of JSD: Ideological matter – a review and some proposals’ for discussion only at party level.
In that review, Ambia differed with many vital policies of JSD, including future of socialism across the globe. Not only that, he also opined that it would be not pragmatic for JSD to establish socialism [in Bangladesh] after achieving state power. Ambia also proposed to change the name of party [JSD] and its student wing JSD Chattra League along with their slogans.
But some members of JSD 14-member standing committee, including Hasanul Haq Inu, Mir Hossain Akhtar, Iqbal Hossain Khan, Shirin Akhter and Habibur Rahman Shawkat, strongly opposed these proposals. Not only that, the JSD Chhatra League also protested the proposals to change the name of organisation, the insiders said.
Meanwhile, after beginning of the council on Saturday night, the councillors started discussion on electing party president. At that time, some councilors proposed to elect Hasanul Haq Inu again by amending the constitution. After that, the same group proposed to elect general secretary through voice votes. At that time, Sharif Nurul Ambia protested the decisions and asked to follow the party constitution in electing new leaders. Tense situation aroused there when he demanded secret ballot.
Pointing the issue, Ambia said, “Hasanul Haq Inu is now minister and he has been working as party president for a long time. It is an undemocratic practice. It needs amendment of party constitution for electing him president again. We can’t stand this situation as a real politician….. There is no president candidate in party council, except Inu. This practice can’t continue for uncertain period.”
But the split was not done only for Inu, Ambia said, It actually happened due to electing Shirin Akhter as general secretary undemocratically. “Some leaders, including party president [Inu], made Shirin Akhter general secretary in voice votes. But the councillors were demanding votes on secret ballot,” he added.
Interestingly, Shirin Akhter categorically denied the allegation. “Inu was elected president unopposed by the councillors as none contested him. Besides, the election to the general secretary post went on till 1:30am on Sunday.”
The JSD was separated from the then Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student front of Awami League, in 1972. It was spilt again in 2002 when some of its leaders led by ASM Abdur Rob floated new faction JSD-Rob.
