The BNP has proposed to float Jatiya Oikya Front ally and Nagorik Oikko convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna in Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s Bogura-6 constituency which was declared vacant after he didn’t take oath on Apr 30.
Earlier in the week the party’s top leadership proposed Manna to contest the by-election to Bogura-6 slated for Jun 24 in a bid to float an influential leader.
In fact BNP has in many ways hinted that the nomination would depend on Manna joining the party but it might end up deterring him from accepting the proposal.
“There were talks on the matter but they have stopped,” Manna told Bangla Tribune.
The BNP won six seats in the Dec 30 national polls and had refused to go to Parliament alleging vote rigging the night before.
However, five out of the six elected BNP leaders were sworn in at the end of April. Mirza Fakhrul remained the only one to not take oath which the party claimed was a strategic move.
The Speaker on Apr 30 declared his constituency vacant as he had not taken oath within 90 days of being elected.
On May 8 the Election Commission announced the polls schedule for the by-polls.
Reliable party sources said that Manna will be given the party’s mandate for Bogura-6 if he joins the party. During the national polls he lost Bogura-2 which he contested with BNP’s electoral symbol ‘sheaf of paddy.’
Nagorik Oikko sources revealed that BNP had hinted at the condition but Manna paid no heed to it.
A central leader said that Nagorik Oikko doesn’t see BNP’s proposal for Manna to join the party as a matter of discussion.
Moreover, Manna wants guarantee that the by-polls will be fair which the BNP has failed to give.
Another leader who is close to Manna on the condition of anonymity said that while its honourable that BNP as Oikya Front’s biggest party proposed to float Manna, it’s difficult for him to come to a decision without consulting with the rest of the allies.

“It’s important to have inputs from the rest of the allies especially ASM Abdur Rab and Kader Siddiqui. It’s difficult for him to take a decision unless these issues are cleared,” he said.
BNP sources, meanwhile, said that if not Manna, the party has three top brass from the central committee in the cards.
The top leadership’s decision, meanwhile, will be entirely political. Monitoring the five lawmakers who went to Parliament, following the party’s orders and other factors will be taken into consideration before giving anyone party ticket.
The leaders who the party might float if Manna declines are party Vice Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Special Secretary Asaduzzaman Ripon.
Dudu, however, said that him being a possible candidate wasn’t true and added, “The party hasn’t yet decided on taking part in the election.”
BNP’s Special Secretary Dr Asaduzzaman Ripon told Bangla Tribune that he doesn’t support contesting the polls under the current government but will participate if the party orders him to.
“I will contest the by-polls if the party orders me to, thinking of using the limited opportunity to take full advantage of the Parliament,” he said.
Ruhul Kabir Rizvi wasn’t available for comments on the phone and the chairperson’s media wing member Shairul Kabir Khan told Bangla Tribune that he wasn’t aware of any of these discussions.
A member of the party’s policymaking National Standing Committee said that Fakhrul was still the first choice for Bogura-6 but he doesn’t want to contest.
Standing Committee member Moudud Ahmed is reportedly agreeable to taking part in the by-polls as he had won there in 2008 when party chief Khaleda Zia stepped down from there.
BNP’s Bogura unit convener committee member Joynul Abedin Chan told Bangla Tribune that they were ready for the by-polls.
“If the polls are fair then BNP will definitely win,” he said and added, “We will work on behalf of whoever acting chief Tarique Rahman nominates.”
“There is a chance that we’ll contest the Bogura-6 by-election,” Standing Committee member Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar said on Friday.
He added that since Fakhrul is adamant, they have to nominate someone else but the party hasn’t yet decided who.