DHAKA — Tensions within the Bangladesh Nationalist Party are rising over nominations for the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election, with party workers clashing in several places and at least one person killed.
The BNP has already announced probable candidates for 237 seats, but conflict among leaders, workers and supporters over the nominations has intensified by the day. Many long-persecuted leaders have been left out, and the resulting anger among their workers and supporters has fueled the unrest, party insiders said.
Political analysts have urged the party to step in to defuse the conflict and, if necessary, sit down with the candidates to resolve the disputes. According to analysts, many BNP leaders, workers and supporters were persecuted during 15 years of Awami League rule. They see nomination in this election — as the country moves toward democratic transition — as recognition by the party. Workers and supporters had pinned their hopes on those long-persecuted leaders, but unmet expectations and, in some cases, the nomination of disputed candidates have caused anger that has turned into deadly clashes in some places. The BNP has said the announced list is only a provisional one.
The list could be reshuffled in many places. But the announcement of disputed candidates with no ties to the grassroots has prompted demands from the grassroots to reconsider nominations. Many nomination seekers and their workers have demanded changes through protests, torch processions, meetings and human chains. In seats where the BNP has not yet finalized a candidate, local workers have pushed for a party nominee. Last Sunday, a 30-year-old Chhatra Dal activist named Tanjin Ahmed Abid was killed when two factions chased each other in Gauripur, Mymensingh, over the BNP nomination.
The incident took place in the central market area of Gauripur municipality. Following the BNP’s announcement, unrest, protests and clashes have also broken out in Madaripur-1 (Shibchar), Meherpur-2 (Gangni), Kushtia-3 (Sadar), Chattogram-2 (Fatikchhari), Chattogram-4 (Sitakunda), Chattogram-16 (Banshkhali), Kushtia-1 (Daulatpur), Kushtia-4, Cumilla-6 (Sadar and Cantonment), Cumilla-10 (Nangalkot and Lalmai upazilas), Chandpur-4 (Faridganj), Barishal-3 (Babuganj-Muladi), Thakurgaon-2, Joypurhat-2, Jamalpur-3 (Melandaha-Madarganj), Dhaka-12, Tangail-3 (Ghatail), Faridpur-1 (Boalmari and Alfadanga upazilas), Sylhet-4 (Goainghat, Companiganj and Jaintapur), Dinajpur-2 (Birol-Bochaganj), Rajshahi-3 (Paba-Mohanpur), Rajshahi-5 (Puthia-Durgapur), Chapainawabganj-2 (Bholahat, Gomastapur and Nachole), Cumilla-2 (Homna-Titas), Cumilla-9 (Laksam-Manoharganj), Natore-1 (Lalpur and Bagatipara), Brahmanbaria-5 (Nabinagar), Gaibandha-5 (Saghata-Phulchhari) and Khulna-2 (Sonadanga and Khulna Sadar). Protests have also broken out in Munshiganj Sadar upazila, Bandarban and several other places. In Feni Sadar, Alal Uddin Alal, the BNP’s district member secretary, drew attention by standing in a paddy field and making a cricket-style “review appeal” gesture to demand a change of candidate. His unusual protest has stirred reactions inside and outside the party. Kamal Jaman Molla lost his nomination for Madaripur-1 (Shibchar upazila) after ending a speech with the Awami-style slogan “Joy Bangla,” setting off a storm of criticism on various platforms. At the same time, the BNP has announced 90-year-old former secretary Mushfiqur Rahman as a probable candidate for Brahmanbaria-4 (Kasba-Akhaura). He has been completely cut off from politics and pro-democracy movements for 17 years, critics say, and the former secretary, a Canadian citizen, has been living permanently in Canada. The decision has stirred suppressed anger in the party. Meanwhile, in Tangail-3 (Ghatail), the announcement of the BNP’s probable nomination has caused intense anger and dissatisfaction among grassroots workers.
Local workers say their views were ignored in the central candidate-selection process. The seat has been given to S.M. Obaidul Haque Nasir, a member of the BNP executive committee. Since then, the workers and supporters of Lutfar Rahman Khan Azad — a former minister, four-time member of parliament and political adviser to the BNP chairperson — have continued protests. The protesters say they will not stop until the BNP’s nomination for the seat is changed. Asked about the issue, Lutfar Rahman Khan Azad told Amar Desh that he had been with the party for 37 years but was not willing to comment on the nomination. Asked whether he believed the nomination had met the expectations of BNP workers and supporters in his constituency, Azad said: “Public expectations have not been met at all. But the party has said this is not final — it is only a probable list. Changes can be made if necessary. The party high command will now consider the matter. I will wait until then.”
The party itself must now step in to defuse the conflict, said Dr. Sabbir Ahmed, a political analyst and professor of political science at Dhaka University. “The BNP has scope to be a little sympathetic,” he said. “They [the workers] endured all kinds of persecution for a long time and still did politics. So of course they can seek nomination. But the party cannot give nominations to everyone. The party is weighing many factors. The whole thing will depend on the party.”
“If they [the BNP high command] can hold negotiations and talk people down, that would be better for the party,” Dr. Sabbir said. “The party can also try to manage them by rewarding them in other ways. It is up to the party to do this.” In such cases, the contribution of nomination-denied leaders must be acknowledged and they must be given importance, he said. “You cannot please everyone at once. But persuading them does not seem like a difficult task for the party. Even so, there will always be a couple of people in the party who will not accept anything. They will become rebel candidates — and the party will ultimately have to live with that.”
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report