At a time when the BNP is gasping for air in the face of an imminent split in its alliance, its labour front has caused a new nuisance for the party.
Only four months after a fresh committee was announced, a group of aggrieved Sramik Dal leaders, who had been left out, yesterday announced a parallel committee.
Abul Khayer Khaza, the self-proclaimed general secretary of Sramik Dal, said in a press conference yesterday that the “illegal” incumbent committee was formed to serve the agenda of the immediate past president and general secretary of the organisation.
Nazimuddin, the self-proclaimed president, however was not present at yesterday’s press conference at the National Press Club in the capital.
On April 19-20, the Sramik Dal held its national council at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the capital and the incumbent committee was announced on May 5.
There are allegations that during the formation of that committee, many senior BNP leaders nominated their favourite candidates, ignoring the deserving ones.
During yesterday’s press briefing, Khaza alleged that former Sramik Dal president Nazrul Islam Khan, general secretary Jafrul Hasan and BNP Vice-Chairman Abdullah Al Noman installed their own people in the incumbent committee so that they could continue to keep their control over the organisation.
Khaza claimed their committee was finalised at a special council of the organisation on June 6.
He also claimed that they had informed BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the standing committee members and the central leaders about the new committee.
“We have also informed the government’s labour department about the matter,” Khaza said.
In his immediate reaction, Anwar Hossain, president of the incumbent committee, said: “This committee is completely illegal and nobody has the authority to form committees in such a way. It is against the party charter.”
Claiming to have seen a list of members of the new committee, Anwar said it comprised all those leaders who had been dropped from the first committee.
“Sramik Dal is run as per the labour law and other relevant rules and regulations. Since the law stipulates that a committee should be 35-strong, we could not accommodate all deserving candidates,” he explained.
Generally, the outgoing committee of an associate wing of a political party in Bangladesh generally recruits its successors before stepping down at the end of its tenure.
