Five days into its registration as a political party, Bangladesh Nationalists Front chief suspended its joint convener following an altercation with him at a party press conference yesterday.
The incident happened when Bangladesh Nationalists Front (BNF) Chairman Abul Kalam Azad had been announcing names of his leaders before the journalists.
He missed Joint Convener Moazzem Hossain Khan Mojlish’s name and Mojlish protested it instantly triggering the altercation.
Witnesses said at the beginning of the press conference at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity in the capital the BNF chairman started introducing his leaders by names. He announced the names of joint conveners Nazmul Ahsan, Mehjabin Masud and Anjuman Salauddin, but skipped Moazzem’s.
Instantly Moazzem asked the party chairman for explanation of making this ‘error’. Amid a hue and cry, Azad halted the conference for 10 minutes to patch the thing up.
Abul Kalam Azad ordered Moazzem to be quiet, but the latter did not, rather became aggrieved.
Moazzem kept saying the party can’t be ruled by the chairman’s single decision. “It’s not a single person’s party,” he argued.
In reply, Abul Kalam Azad said according to the party’s charter, the treasurer held a higher rank than the joint conveners.
“Then why didn’t you announce other joint conveners’ names before the treasurer’s?” asked Moazzem.
In answer, Azad said in threating tone, “I am warning you for the last time to be quiet.” Moazzem stood up from his chair and protested this behavior.
An angry Azad finally made the decision, saying, “By the power bestowed upon me from the party, I am suspending your primary membership from this moment. Now you should go.”
But Moazzem denied leaving the press conference. Later Azad’s men dragged him out of the auditorium branding him as “collaborator of BNP”.
The press conference started shortly after this incident. Speaking to the reporters BNF urged the Election Commission to hold the national polls after January 24 for the sake of their “preparation”.
“This will not be a violation of the constitution,” said Azad.
Former BNP Vice-Chairman Jahanara Begum, who was also adviser to then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in the 2001-2006 government, was also present at the BNF press conference.
Jahanara left BNP for joining Liberal Democratic Party led by Oli Ahmed in October 2006.
Former BNP standing committee member Nazmul Huda founded the BNF.
He, however, declared the organisation “abolished” for returning to the BNP.
The main opposition BNP approached the commission three times, urging it not to consider BNF as a political party.
BNP alleged that the BNF was using the BNP’s logo, the portrait of its late founder Ziaur Rahman, and his 19-point charter to “gain political leverage.”
Nazmul Huda also appealed to the commission not to register BNF.
In field level investigation, the Election Commission officials did not find the existence and activities of BNF in field levels.
The EC had, however, allowed BNF time thrice before finally registering it as it did not fulfill the registration conditions.
