Reza Mahmud :
A smell of new polarisation in politics is in the air! There may be a polarisation ahead of the country’s next general elections.
The ruling Awami League has signalled that the BNP-Jamaat representatives would be accepted in the anti-militancy committees forged by the District Administrations.
Leaders of main stream political parties say, BNP may avoid ruling party’s offer to join the anti-militancy local committees but its ally Jamaat is likely to accept it to revive their existence. “Whether Jamaat will remain with BNP-led alliance or join the planned national unity against terrorism is yet to be decided. It will be decided through discussions,” Dr. Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, the standing committee member of the BNP, told The New Nation on Sunday.
He added: “BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is seriously engaged in meetings with politicians and professionals to forge a national unity to combat militancy. The decision about Jamaat will be resolved through discussions.”
Another standing committee member of the party Brigadier General (Rtd) ASM Hannan Shah told The New Nation that BNP might join national unity sans its long time ally Jamaat-e-Islami.
“The BNP may form a national consensus without Jamaat. Eminent personalities also demanded unity sans that party. We may be going to accept that,” Hannan Shah said.
After Gulshan attack Khaleda Zia called for a national unity to combat militancy. But the government did not accept the call. Meanwhile the ruling party asked BNP to leave Jamaat before the call for such consensus.
In this situation Khaleda Zia sat with the 20-party alliance leaders to forge a national unity on July 13 and professional leaders on July 14. In both the meetings some of the participants asked Khaleda Zia to leave Jamaat.
Since then the Jamaat is taking mental preparations to leave the BNP-led alliance. In the same way BNP leaders may also push Jamaat away.
On Saturday, ASM Hannan Shah said Jamaat leaders are maintaining relations with the Awami League. “If anyone investigate it, they must find that Jamaat leaders have lots of relations with the ruling party leaders,” he said.
On Thursday, Public Administration Minister also General Secretary of Awami League Syed Ashraful Islam said, the BNP-Jamaat could involve in anti-militancy committees forged by Districts Administrations.
While replying a question, Syed Ashraf said the elected representatives from BNP and Jamaat may be participated in the anti-terrorists committees.
When asked whether the non-elected BNP-Jamaat men would be accepted in such local bodies, the AL general secretary said, it would be decided through discussion.
Some leaders in other parties said, if BNP leave Jamaat, then the Awami League might give them (Jamaat) a space to engage in politics broadly.
Contacted BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy told The New Nation, “I personally think we may not leave Jamaat. BNP does not want to make Jamaat its foe. If BNP leaves Jamaat, there is no guarantee that Awami League will not take them close. But if Jamaat leaves BNP, it will be a different matter.”
Meanwhile, some Jamaat leaders said, they are always ready for every situation.
Sources said, BNP wants to forge national unity only to anti-militancy campaign. But some other parties outside the 20-party alliance are showing reluctance to go into such unity. They said that they want a long time unity till the next national polls.
“If the BNP wants to show we are standing beside them to attain national unity and international support, then why not the unity should stay for long time to go the national polls together?” said one of the leaders.
A senior BNP leader said, if the proposed national unity finally aimed to be a polls- oriented platform, then Jamaat must be disconnected from BNP-led alliance. But that may harm BNP’s voting field.
As an example, he said, “In a parliamentary constituency where BNP and Awami Leagues vote are near to equal, Jamaat’s vote will be the winning matter. If Jamaat voters do not cast vote to BNP the chance of Awami League candidate’s winning will be probable,” he said.
