by Akmol Hossain in Prothom Alo, Sept 30, 2023
Moulvibazar: They are sometimes seen together on one stage, delivering speeches. But in actuality they have not been together for around two years. The movement and programmes are being held, but separately. BNP’s activities in Moulvibazar district are being carried out in this manner, under the leadership of the president and the general secretary.
Awami League, on the other hand, is quite well organised in Moulvibazar. Even though the committee’s term is over, everyone is carrying out the party programmes, taking party in meetings and rallies, together under the leadership of the president and general secretary. While behind the scenes they have their likes and dislikes over leadership and party nomination, there is no visible rift.
BNP district president and secretary poles apart
On 17 April 2019 the Moulvibazar district BNP committee was approved from the centre. The president was M Naser Rahman, son of the late finance and planning minister M Saifur Rahman. The general secretary was former Chhatra Dal leader Mizanur Rahman. Initially all the programmes were being held under their joint leadership. Party activities came to a standstill during the Covid outbreak.
Speaking to the party leaders and activists, it was learnt that the conflict between the two leaders began around two years ago. Mizanur Rahman accused Naser Rahman of violating the party constitution in singularly forming the Moulvibazar municipal committee, dropping various persons from the committee, promoting others and so on.
Since then, he and the faction under his control began running separate programmes. Presently almost all the programmes of the party are being run separately. As the organisation has no office, the workers and activists under Naser Rahman’s leadership meet at Baharmardan of his village home at the Sadar upazila, while Mizanur Rahman’s faction use a room at a market in the town’s Choumohana area.
Party sources say, the two factions even participated separately in the Sylhet division grand rally on 19 November. In order to resolve these differences, the district BNP held a special meeting on 1 December last year at the directives of the centre. Leaders and activists from both sides joined. But this coexistence did not last long. The two factions are once against carrying out their programmes separately.
This division at the district level has had an effect at the upazila level too. There are rifts in at least four of the seven upazilas and they hold separate programmes. The party programmes are held in a united manner in three upazilas. As part of the BNP road march programme on the Sylhet highway, on 21 September, a roadside rally was held at the Sherpur Muktijoddha Chattar in Moulvibazar Sadar upazila. The two factions of district BNP took part in that together. M Naser Rahman presided over the roadside meeting, conducted by Mizanur Rahman. This meeting evoke a degree of hope, but the local BNP men do not feel the distance has actually been resolved.
District BNP’s first joint secretary Md Fakhrul Islam, know to be of the president’s faction, said, “The one-point movement is on. There is no alternative nut to remain united. If we remain united, we could be successful in our movement and struggle together.”
Admitting that they had been conducting separate programmes for two years, Mizanur Rahman told Prothom Alo, the president acts as he wishes, taking decisions on his own. He dissolves a committee, forms a committee. This has an impact on all the upazilas. The general secretary went on to say, “The programme (roadside rally) was held just at the behest of the centre. Earlier, the extended meeting was held together too. Let’s see what happens.”
Speaking to Prothom Alo, M Naser Rahman said, “In the interests of the party and at my will, I allowed him (the general secretary) to carry out the roadside rally together. I have made many concessions in the interest of the party. The central leaders were pleased. But what are his complaints? As president, it is up to me whom I make leader in my constituency. My committee will be as I please. Those with him are all fine for the party. The problem is with him.”
The grassroots leaders and activists are frustrated with the party conflict. They say that there is mental distance and mistrust among the leaders. The centre isn’t resolving the matter either. In the meantime, the tenure of the committee has ended too.
Naser Rahman said, the committee term is over. The upazila councils are being completed. If the political situation permits, the district council may be held towards the end of October.
The divisions in district BNP are affecting the associate organisations too. Leaders and activists of Jubo Dal, Swecchashebok Dal and Chhatra Dal come to the programmes and divide up. The Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal committee terms are also over. Recently, however, the Swecchashebok Dal convening committee was formed.
While mentally there is preparations behind the scenes about who will be nominated for the next parliament election, there is no visible activities in this regard. District BNP general secretary Mizanur Rahman said, the movement is on now to create an environment conducive to the election. The party is involved in the movement. There are no election activities.
AL united and focused on election
At the last Moulvibazar district council held on 28 October 2017, the present Moulvibazar-3 member of parliament was made president and zila parishad chairman Misbahur Rahman was made general secretary.
Speaking to the leaders and workers, it was learnt that in the party there was a visible rift in the party. However, after the formation of the new committee, there is no visible rift. The three-year tenure of the committee had ended, but the party continues to be run under the joint leadership of the president and general secretary.
District Awami League joint secretary and Sadar upazila parishad chairman Md Kamal Hossain, speaking to Prothom Alo, said, “There is no conflict as there had been before. We are together.” Another joint secretary and Moulvibazar pourashava mayor Md Fazlur Rahman said the same.
Party sources say district Awami League has begun seat-wise election preparation. A union level extended meeting was held and a centre-based committee formed. The present member of parliament as well as others who are aspiring for nomination in the coming election have started activities in the area.
Awami League has updated committees in all seven upazilas of the district. Among the affiliated organisations, recently a partial the committee of the district Jubo League was announced. While the Chhatra League district committee term has ended, the district Swecchashebok League held its council on 24 September.
District Awami League general secretary Misbahur Rahman, speaking to Prothom Alo, said, “Alongside party programmes, we are also carrying out election work. The district committee term has ended, but no directives have come from the centre as yet. The date for the district council is fixed from the centre. They haven’t sent a letter as yet. The district council will be held after the forthcoming election.”
Other than is Moulvibazar-2 (Kulaura), the members of parliament in three of the four constituencies of the district are from Awami League. But several Awami League aspirants are preparing for all four of the seats.
Alongside the present member of parliament, minister for environment, forests and climate change Md Shahab Uddin, there are two more aspirants for the Moulvibazar-1 seat (Borolekha-Juri). In the Moulvibazar-3 (Rajnagar-Sadar) seat, other than the incumbent MP Nesar Ahmed, three others may seek nomination. The MP for the Moulvibazar-4 (Srimangal-Kamalganj seat) is Md Abdus Shaheed. Another persons’ name is being heard too, for this seat.
Gono Forum’s Sultan Mohammad Mansur is the Moulvibazar-2 MP. Alliance candidates are generally nominated to these seats. Awami League grassroots leaders and activists feel that this sear belongs to Awami League. They want a party candidate to be nominated here so they can regain the seat. At least four from Awami League are aspiring for this seat.
District AL general secretary Misbahur Rahman told Prothom Alo, “Awami League is a big party. There can be likes and dislikes. But there is no conflict. There has been no conflict in the associate bodies either over the past five years. We have managed to hold on to this unity.”
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