A festive mood was prevailing yesterday at the Engineer’s Institute in the capital centering the sixth council of Sramik Dal – labour wing of the BNP.
Councilors from various wards and thanas of the capital started thronging the council venue since early morning. The entire area was decorated with banners and festoons; music was being played in loudspeakers. Leaders and activists were gossiping here and there with a traditional band party setting the festive tone.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia arrived at the venue around 11am and hoisted the national and party flags. After finishing the 50-minute speech, she left the venue and the main attraction of the council started – the councilors of Sramik Dal were gearing up to elect their next leadership.
Up until that point, things were peaceful and the mood was nothing short of festive. But all of a sudden, chaos gripped the programme as two leaders of Sramik Dal raised a hue and cry.
Soon after, things took a turn towards the worse as the supporters of those two leaders vandalised more than a hundred chairs. Some people could be heard chanting: “We do not accept this illegal council.”
Witnesses said at 5pm, labour leaders Bajlul Alam Sabuj and Mohammad Sumon were thrown out of the venue because they had been giving statements demanding voting to elect leadership.
Eventually, the council ended without finalising the new committee of the party.
A Sramik Dal leader told the Dhaka Tribune that: “We want voting to elect the leadership; but instead of election, the central leaders are selecting the leaders. That is why such a situation was created.”
A few days ago, pro-BNP professional Chowdhury Zafarullah criticised the party for not having democratic practices within.
The last council of Sramik Dal was held 10 years ago. In that council too, the leadership was selected.
Khaleda Zia in her speech said those who could play courageous role, the new committee would incorporate them, otherwise restructuring he party would be “meaningless.” She also said leadership should not be selected on the basis of relationships.
Jafrul Hasan, general secretary of Sramik Dal, said some people gave rise to violence during the council session.
“I do not know them. They do not belong to my party. The situation is calm now... We could not finalise the committee because all the councilors were not present. On April 16, the president and general secretary will be elected through voting,” he said.
