AL, BNP reorganise with next polls in mind

Both the BNP and Awami League appear to be gearing up for the 2019 elections by taking up measures to strengthen the party and expand their voter base. Awami League has planned to conduct their campaigns in BNP-dominated areas in order to gain popularity. Ruling party President Sheikh Hasina has set a target of visiting each of these districts a minimum of once prior to the next general elections. Of the targeted areas, Sheikh Hasina has already begun tours in Bogra and Lakshmipur. In the current month, the ruling party leader also intends to visit Magura and Faridpur, before visiting three more districts in the following month. In order to strengthen the party, a group of five pro-BNP intellectuals have placed a number of recommendations to party chairperson Khaleda Zia. The intellectuals met with Khaleda on March 12 to voice their concerns and recommendations, after having been invited for tea. The intellectuals recommended that the BNP Chairperson tour throughout the country to inspire supporters of the party and bring forward her office hours from 8pm to the daytime. They claimed that these measures would strengthen the organisational structure of the party, according a source that was present at the meeting. In addition, the intellectuals stressed the importance of organising events in every district and divisional city as swiftly as possible, while suggesting that BNP calls rallies to discuss current issues. Other recommendations made to the party included the reinstatement of suspended parties, preparation of responses to Sheikh Hasina’s speeches by the secretary general or a standing committee member, recalling reformists to the party and creating alliances with other parties such as that of Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, ASM Abdur Rab, Kader Siddique. The intellectuals attending the meeting were former vice chancellor of Dhaka University Prof Emajuddin Ahmed, Prof Zafrullah Chowdhury, Economist Prof Mahbub Ullah, media personality and writer Mahfuz Ullah and former pro vice chancellor of Dhaka University AFM Yusuf Haider. A female professor of Dhaka University was also invited to the meeting, but she could not attend. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was also in attendance.