A section of business leaders is reportedly trying frantically to patch up the “deteriorating” relation between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former FBCCI president AK Azad.
They have arranged a secret meeting for Sunday to devise ways in this regard, according to banglanews24.com.
The relation between the prime minister and Azad has turned sour after police obstructed his motorcade in Faridpur last week.
Ha-Meem Group Managing Director Azad, who was on his way to a reception ceremony on the day of incident, blamed Expatriate Welfare Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, a close relative of the premier, without delay which has contributed to the deterioration of their relation.
The minister trashed the allegation of his involvement with the incident.
The incumbent president of FBCCI, Kazi Akram Hossain, said: “We do not want to see the bitter relationship between Minister Mosharraf and Azad to continue. May be the untoward incident that happened was nothing but a result of a misunderstanding. So, we took the initiative for reconciliation.”
Though the FBCCI boss refused to elaborate on the meeting, he said they would likely sit to solve the problem and that an apology might come from the part of police at the meeting.
Things went worse later when the prime minister told some business leaders, whom she trusts, that Azad could no longer be trusted and that her confidants should get along without him, sources said.
“He is now keeping constant contact with a leader from some other party,” the premier was quoted as saying by the source.
Contacted on Wednesday evening, Azad declined to comment.
However, questioned if he personally contacted the prime minister after the incident, he said: “No, I did not communicate with the prime minister in any way. Neither did I talk to her nor went to her office recently.
“Nobody contacted with me on her behalf either,” he added.
Sunday’s meeting will likely be attended by Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Khandaker Mosharraf and the inspector general of police among others, said the sources.
A source said Azad, who used to enjoy a decent relationship with the premier, has fallen out of her grace as Hasina suspects Azad might have perpetrated the incident purposely.
Hasina believes the former FBCCI president might want to contest in the next general elections from another party and the obstruction of his motorcade might be a ploy he used to set the ground to that effect.
The tough stance of the premier has triggered curiosity in the business community, who are now speculating on the party Azad might be contesting from.
A source claimed that Azad wanted to contest the polls from the Faridpur sadar constituency in the upcoming polls.
In the 2008 polls, he too expressed willingness to participate in the polls from that seat, but was barred as Khandaker Mosharraf got the Awami League ticket.
Rumours have it that Khandaker Mosharraf is going to be the Awami League candidate this time too.
