BNP’s allies in the 20-party Alliance and the Jatiya Oikya Front have come down hard on it following the party’s decision to join the 11th National Parliament despite boycotting the election immediately after the voting on Dec 30 last year.
The party apparently seems to be in troubled waters as political allies for decades are leaving its coalition.
On Monday (May 6), Andaleeve Rahman Partho’s Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) broken away from the 20-party Alliance following disagreements over a good number of issues, including the decision to join parliament.
Ahead of the general elections in October last year, the BNP forged unity with Dr Kamal Hossain’s Gano Forum and three other parties under the Jatiya Oikya Front platform, an electoral coalition.
One of its allies, Kader Siddiqui-led Jatiya Krishak Sramik Janata League (KSJL) is likely to leave the Oikya Front. Besides, some other allies of the BNP in the 20-party coalition are also mulling to quit, according to people familiar with the matter.
The BNP, however, apparently is not making any efforts to keep its allies.
According to BNP insiders, the party has been facing crisis in several fronts since the Dec 30 general elections, when it won only six seats, including Bogura-6 where Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was elected.
One of its MPs-elect Jahidur Rahman took oath against the party’s decision, after which four other MPs-elect remained adamant about following his footsteps.
Amid the situation, the party’s leadership cleared the way for their oath taking, which sparked criticism within the BNP’s allies in the 20-party coalition as well as the Oikya Front.
Leaders of allies publicly criticised the BNP for its ‘u-turn’ on joining the parliament.
Mirza Fakhrul, however, refused to take oath and his seat was vacant, where a by-election will be held on Jun 24.
Sources within the BNP say that the allies were very well aware of the crisis the party had gone through and that the BNP will not make any efforts to persuade allies who want to leave the coalition.
The latest inclusion in Oikya Front was Kader Siddiqui’s KSJL, which came on board a month after the coalition was floated.
Kader Sidduqui has called for media conference on Thursday (May 9) triggering speculations that the party may break away from the coalition.
Bangla Tribune reached KSJL General Secretary Iqbal Siddiqui for a comment on Wednesday, when he said, “I cannot comment on this issue as I am abroad.”
A leader of an ally in the Oikya Front says that he had discussed the matter of Kader Siddiqui with BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul, who told him that there was nothing to do to over it.
Senior BNP leaders say that the party is now treading troubled waters and it would take time to overcome the crisis and that it will not now focus on allies who want to leave.
“The BNP will not make any comments on this matter before deciding on a policy,” a member of its highest forum the National Standing Committee said on condition of anonymity.
His colleague at the policymaking forum, Jamiruddin Sircar echoed.
“We will sit soon to decide on a strategy. Anything can be said after that and those who want to leave will go,” he told Bangla Tribune.
Another Standing Committee member said the forum was scheduled for a meeting on Saturday (May 11). “These issues will be discussed then and only after then it can be said what would be the party’s stance.”
Speaking to Bangla Tribune, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, convener of Oikya Front ally Nagorik Oikya, said, “We are observing the situation.”
Leaders of key allies in the 20-party Alliance says besides observing the situation, the alliance needs to meet and that the coalition lost its priority to BNP after it joined the Jatiya Oikya Front.