After boycotting the January 5 elections, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia said her party would launch a political movement after reorganising itself, but, 10 months later, the proclaimed reshuffle had not taken place.
Of the BNP’s nine associate and front organisations, two have seen severe clashes between internal factions over the announcement of new committees, and fully six have committees that expired a year ago or earlier.
Nobody could say when the expired committees would be formed.
Barkatullah Bulu, joint secretary general of the party, told the Dhaka Tribune: “I do not know anything about it. I cannot say anything about the reorganisation of the party. Madam [Khaleda] or the acting secretary general can tell you.”
But after the death of former BNP secretary general Khandakar Delwar Hossain, the party had not appointed a new secretary general.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been carrying out the responsibilities of the secretary general even though the charter of the party does not make provision for the position of acting secretary general.
Even the BNP’s central committee tenure expired two years ago. After holding the fifth council of the party, it has not held another.
But it was confirmed that new committees would be formed according to the opinions of the senior party leadership instead of by council, party leaders said.
As the party rank and file await the announcement of the new committees, frustration reportedly has gripped leadership hopefuls and their supporters.
Central leaders claimed the process of reorganising the associate and front bodies of the party were on the cards and would be completed soon. Saiful Alam Nirob, general secretary of Jubo Dal, said: “Yes, our committee has expired. Whenever Madam feels it is necessary to form a new committee, she will do so.”
When asked about the frustration of the aspirants, Nirob said: “When a party is undertaking a movement, nothing runs according to normal procedure or schedule. There is nothing to be frustrated about.”
Nevertheless, when new committees for the Sramik Dal and Chhatra Dal were announced, the party leadership was embarrassed when aspirants who were by-passed publicly repudiated the new committees and demanded they be dissolved.
Even the party’s Nayapaltan office came under attack because of the rancour over the announced committees.
Despite the disputes, leaders claim the upcoming movement will not be hampered.
The party’s front organisations are Jubo Dal, Swechchasebak Dal, Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal, Mohila Dal, Jasas, Krishak Dal, Tanti Dal, Olama Dal and Matsajibi Dal. Its associate bodies are Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Sramik Dal.
Front organisation Muktijoddha Dal was formed in 2013. New committees for associate bodies, Sramik Dal and Chhatra Dal, were announced on April 20 and October 14 this year, respectively.
Despite the fact that the new committee of the Sramik Dal was formed through council, a counter committee was announced by leadership aspirants and activists who had been passed over.
And while the Chhatra Dal has not launched a movement against its political opponents, factions within, it led by by-passed hopefuls, have clashed violently with the incumbent committee leadership and its supporters.
Shamsuzzaman Dudu, general secretary of the Krishak Dal, said a new committee would be formed soon but failed to say when.
“Madam has said the party will be reorganised first and then the movement will be waged. Reorganising the Krishak Dal could take place at any time.”
Shafiul Bari Babu, organising secretary of Swechchasebak Dal, said the party chairperson had already started the process of reorganising the party.
