The ties between Jamaat-e-Islami and BNP seem to be dwindling in recent times, after the right wing Islamist party blamed the leaders of its alliance partner for obstructing campaigns before today’s second phase of the upazila elections.
Jamaat has also been reportedly reluctant to compromise with BNP regarding finalising candidates in many of the upazilas. The compromise was particularly important because the BNP-Jamaat-led 19-party combine is backing candidates for the upazila polls as an alliance, unlike the Awami League.
Candidates backed by Jamaat, whose registration as a party with the Election Commission was cancelled last year, bagged the chairman seats in 12 out of the 97 upazilas in 40 districts that went into polls on February 19.
In many of those 12 upazilas, the Jamaat-backed contenders challenged and defeated BNP leaders.
Although the central leaders of both the parties have claimed that such local differences will not hamper mutual relations, rifts have been gradually surfacing in many areas, especially after the first phase of the polls.
Reportedly, for tomorrow’s second phase of the polls in which a total of 117 upazilas around the country are voting, understanding between the parties has been only on papers.
Around 28 Jamaat-backed candidates are vying for the chairman posts in the 117 upazilas. In the first phase, Jamaat candidates ran for 28 upazila parishads, out of which they came out winners in 12.
In the second phase, BNP ranks are supporting local Jamaat-backed chairman contenders in only five upazilas.
Jamaat insiders said considering the results in the first phase, the party believed that it would clinch more seats in this phase.
In two out of the three upazilas in Lalmonirhat that are voting in this phase, Jamaat contenders are challenging BNP-backed candidates.
Shamsul Haque, nayeeb-e-ameer of Pathgram upazila unit Jamaat, said the BNP had refused to entertain their demands for leaving two seats for them in the district.
“That is why we are backing our candidates to contest the polls [in those two upazilas],” Shamsul said.
“BNP used Jamaat only for movement but do not want to share power. So why should we compromise with them?” he said.
However, Hafizur Rahman Babla, general secretary of district unit BNP, snubbed out the allegations saying Jamaat had not placed any demand. “BNP and Jamaat are contesting the polls independently.”
In Natore, district unit Jamat leaders held a press conference yesterday claiming that their leaders and activists were barred from campaigning.
According to a press release, on February 22, a meeting of the 19-party alliance leaders was held at the residence of Rajshahi Mayor Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul. In that meeting, local BNP leader Mizanur Rhaman Minu, also the regional election coordinator, assured Jamaat of backing Jamaat leader Yunus Ali as the candidate for Natore sadar upazila.
However, Natore district unit BNP President Ruhul Quddus Dulu did not follow the assurance given by the coordinator and instead asked Jamaat to support the BNP candidate in the upazila, the release said.
When contacted, Dulu claimed that BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had said Dulu’s decision would be final in the upazila.
In Kustia, elections will be held in three upazilas. Jamaat-backed contender Abdu Gafur will be contesting in the Mirpur upazila.
Gafur said: “I was the upazila chairman. So I am the fittest contender. I have repeatedly urged the BNP for compromise but they did not respond. We are very unhappy with BNP’s uncompromising attitude.”
However, BNP-backed candidate Abdul Haque said: “We are organisationally sronger than Jamaat here. Jamaat’s popularity has slumped over the war crime issue. We have already won two chairmanship in the first phase of elections and will win here too. So why should we compromise?”
Nurul Islam Bulbul, a central leader of Jamaat, told the Dhaka Tribune: “We are contesting the upazila parishad elections in alliance with the BNP. But there are rebel BNP candidates in some of the upazila who are creating problems for voters.”
He also accused some of the BNP candidates of following the 19-party central command’s instructions.