Some district level leaders of the newly-formed Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) have reinstated its “expelled” founder and former BNP leader Nazmul Huda as the party’s chairman, while expelling its chief coordinator and an electoral candidate, SM Abul Kalam Azad.
“Nazmul Huda was not expelled according to the constitution of the party. He was, and still is, with us,” Sahid Chowdhury, convenor of Natore BNF, told a press briefing yesterday at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity auditorium.
When contacted, Nazmul Huda denied to make any comment on his position in BNF.
“I have seen the news on television, but I do not know anything about this,” Huda told the Dhaka Tribune.
“I did not like the activities of SM Abul Kalam Azad,” Huda said, adding: “BNF was formed to strengthen Khaleda Zia’s hand, I mean BNP’s. I had distanced (myself) with BNP as there were some differences of opinions. Considering the (party’s) upcoming programmes, and also the current political situation, I will be with BNP and BNP is my last destination.”
Sahid Chowdhury, however, claimed that Huda had consented to remain in BNF.
Meanwhile, Abul Kalam Azad, who will be contesting next Sunday’s parliamentary polls from Dhaka-17 under the banner of BNF, could not be contacted yesterday for comment.
BNF now has committees in 106 upazilas of 29 districts, Abdullah Zia, convenor of Kushtia BNF, said at the press briefing.
“There was no word or designation called ‘chief coordinator’ in the party’s constitution,” Zia said, adding that no election was held to elect a chief coordinator.
He also said Nazmul Huda was not expelled following the party’s constitution.
Furthermore, Ashrafuzzaman of Magura BNF and Ashraf Sarkar of Tangail BNF told the Dhaka Tribune that they were trying to convince Nazmul Huda to return to the BNF.
“Huda will join us if we expel SM Abul Kalam Azad. We did not say anything to Azad when Huda was expelled. Later, we found that Azad was violating party rules and doing corruption,”Ashraf Sarkar claimed.
He also said Jahanara Begum, BNF co-chairman, and Moazzem Hossain Khan Mojlish, the party’s “expelled” treasurer, were still with them.
The press briefing was also attended by Azizul Haq of Chandpur BNF, SM Liton of Dhaka BNF and MA Salam Shanto of Gazipur BNF.
Amid criticism from the main opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Front was given time thrice by the Election Commission to fulfill conditions to be registered as a new political party. It was finally registered on November 18 this year.
But just five days after its registration, BNF treasurer Moazzem Hossain Khan Mojlish was expelled from the party.
BNP had requested the EC not to register BNF. Its founder, Nazmul Huda, dissolved the party on September 23 and submitted an application asking the EC not to register it.
