A few leaders of the BNP-led 20-party alliance yesterday left the alliance and formed their own – the National Democratic Front – with 10 parties because of what they said grievances over the BNP’s attitude and behaviour.
Despite not having any ideological differences with the BNP-led alliance, the newly launched NDF blamed the BNP top brass for running the coalition in an autocratic manner.
NDF Chairman Sheikh Shawkat Hossain Nilu said: “Many left the alliance because of BNP’s dominance, immoral and autocratic attitudes towards the alliance leaders.
“I did not leave the alliance; rather Khaleda Zia expelled me. Now my question is: does she has the right to expel me from the alliance?”
He said: “She did not give me any scope for self-defence. But the additional acting secretary general told me that I had been expelled from the alliance as I had joined iftar hosted by the prime minister.”
Nilu was speaking at a press conference at the Institute of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh announcing the formation of the alliance. It is the same venue where BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia had announced the launching of the BNP-led 18-party alliance.
Before announcing the NDF, Nilu paid tribute to the country’s late leaders Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Ziaur Rahman.
Describing the NDF as an electoral alliance, he said they would compete for all the 300 constituencies in the next national election and would form the government.
“We, for now, would not join the alliance which we had left,” he said while addressing a press conference arranged to launch the new alliance at the Institute of Diploma Engineers in the capital. This was the venue where BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia made the announcement of the 18-party alliance.
Although having no ideological differences with the 20-party alliance, the new alliance was formally announced, and its leaders alleged that the BNP high-ups operated the coalition in an autocratic manner which prompted them to go for a separate platform.
“Many left the alliance because of BNP leaders' dominion as well as immoral and autocratic attitude towards alliance leaders,” Nilu said.
“I did not leave the alliance. Rather, Khaleda expelled me. But does she have the right to do so? She did not give me any room to defend myself. The acting secretary general of BNP told me that I was expelled because I attended the prime minister’s iftar party,” said Nilu.
Nilu, who formed the National People's Party after the army-backed caretaker government assumed office back in 2007, claimed that BNP’s decision to boycott the January 5 election and not holding meeting with Indian President Pranab Mukherjee during his Dhaka visit put the alliance in deep crisis.
“The frustration led Khaleda to make unexpected decisions that contradict her strategy,” he said.
Nilu, who depends on donors to run the NPP, vented anger on BNP leaders and activists, saying they were not around when Khaleda was confined to her residence on December 29 last year.
“I called the BNP leaders at least 400 times but none of them received the call. Where were they on that day? We were instructed to follow Mirza Fakhrul’s orders but we actually did not get any and that is why we did not take to the streets at the time,” he said.
The NDF chairman said he did not know anything about the allegation of intelligence funding to break away from the BNP-led alliance in order to form the new alliance.
The written statement of yesterday's conference said some other parties were preparing to join the NDF and Nilu said not a single one from the Awami League-led alliance would do so.
“Why will they join? But as for the BNP-led alliance, let us hope for the best,” he said.
Speaking about the new alliance's programmes, Nilu said: “We will wage peaceful movement and agitation to compel the government to realise our demands.”
Among the 10 parties of the NDF, five broke away from the BNP-led 20-party alliance and they are National Peoples Party of Sheikh Shawkat Hossain Nilu, National Democratic Party of Alamgir Majumdar, National Awami Party (NAP-Bhashani) of Anwarul Haq, Bangladesh Labour Party of Sekandar Ali Moni, and Bangladesh Islamic Party of MA Rashid Pradhan.
These five, however, have factions that are still with the 20-party alliance.
Only the NPP among the 10 members of the NDF is registered with the Election Commission.
Alamgir Majumdar was made the secretary general of the alliance. While addressing the conference yesterday, he placed a nine-point demand, including dissolution of the tenth parliament, holding a new parliamentary election, and declaring February 25 as a national mourning day to mark the killing of 57 army officials during BDR mutiny.
The other parties are Jatiyatabadi Ganatantrik Dal led by Abdul Malek Chowdhury, Bangladesh Muslim League led by Zobaiyda Quader Choudhury, Insaaf Party led by Shahid Chowdhury, Bhashani Front led by Mamtaz Chowdhury and Trinamool NAP Bhashani led by Parveen Naser Sultana.
Meanwhile, Khaleda at a rally in Brahmanbaria on Tuesday termed her alliance strong and said the members would stay together.
“The 20-party alliance leaders are patriots. They cannot be with traitors and agents,” she said.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at a programme yesterday said the 20-party alliance was united as no member had broken away.
“There are many politicians and leaders in the country who cannot check their greed. Such individuals cannot sustain their positions. They will be lost in the wave of people's movement,” he added.