The ousted secretary general of Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, MA Awal has floated a new political outfit.
The former Lakshimpur-1 MP, Awal held the first meeting of the 'Islami Gantantrik Party' at a simple ceremony at a Dhaka hotel on Saturday (Nov 9).
"I had been preparing for a year to float a new party," Awal told Bangla Tribune.
The party would be officially launched on a large scale, he added without disclosing any specific date.
Awal's floating of the Islami Gantantrik Party came several months after he failed a bid to form a new party with Bangladesh Islami Oikya Jote chief Misbahur Rahman Chowdhury. The effort went in vain after Chowdhury refused to dissolve his party.
Awal was removed from Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizbhandari-led Tarikat Federation in April 2018. The Islamist leader, however, then claimed he would remain involved in politics.
He was ousted from the Tarikat Federation, an ally in the ruling Awami League-led 14-party Alliance, after a dispute arose over the candidacy at Lakshimpur 1 constituency ahead of the 11th national election held on Dec 30, 2018. Awal won the seat in the previous national election in 2018.
The Islamist leader, however, alleged that Tarikat chief Maizbhandari deprived him of securing the candidacy for Dec 30 election for the financial matter.
Meanwhile, several leaders of the newly floated party told Bangla Tribune, one Nurul Islam has dissolved his own party--Ganotantrik Islami Movement -- to hold the post of the Islami Gantantrik Party.
According to sources, Awal, who was inactive in politics for several months, has received the green light on the Islami Gantantrik Party from the government's high level.
The new party has now planned to forge a larger collation in future, a top leader of Islami Gantantrik Party told Bangla Tribune.
At Saturday's meeting, the Islamist leader praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for ordering the ongoing crackdown on corruption.
"With the crackdown, the PM has proved that she truly wants to take the country forward," Awal said calling the government to continue with the raids.