Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is set to celebrate its 44th founding anniversary on Thursday amid a lot of crises out and inside the party.
As a political party, it has passed 44 years and still struggling to survive in the field of politics despite alleged “oppression” by the government.
Although the party was founded in 1978, it is still facing various challenges to keep its existence in politics.
According to BNP’s claim, more than 1 lakh cases were filed against its 35 lakh leaders and activists including Chairperson Khaleda Zia across the country.
Despite this adverse situation, BNP men are conducting their party programmes throughout the country. Even though they are attacked in these programmes, they expressed their vows to remain firm in their positions.
BNP’s these programmes will be continued till September 10.
The party announced a two-day programme marking its founding anniversary.
Party’s founder Ziaur Rahman hoisted the flag of BNP in the green square of Ramna in 1978. He formed BNP by bringing people of different political and ideological backgrounds.
BNP didn’t participate in the general elections held in 2013. Rather it had chosen the path of agitations in which they were involved in arson at transports and properties, which reflected a deep and negative impact on the image of the party.
Though BNP participated in the general election of 2018, its leaders and activists couldn’t show their presence on the streets due to the heavy pressure of the cases filed against them. Hence, they got a disastrous result in the election.
On the other hand, BNP thinks it didn’t do well as the election wasn’t free and fair and its partymen were under huge legal complexities.
BNP standing committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku told Bangladesh Pratidin that the party is stronger than ever before. Begum Khaleda Zia has brought the party to today’s strong position after its formation. The ruling Awami League snatched away many rights of the people including voting rights.
“We’re in a struggle to regain all the rights. Hope we will win,” he added.
BNP is in enormous trouble as it is out of power for the last 15 years and its Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia is sentenced for corruption.
Party’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman is now staying in London. At least 50 cases have been filed against him. In one of the cases, he had been sentenced to life.
When asked how the party is running in this situation, BNP standing committee member Dr Khandker Mosharraf Hossain told Bangladesh Pratidin that despite immense adversity, leaders and activists didn’t leave the party as they follow the ideology of Ziaur Rahman even in this hard time.
Another standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the party is more organised and united than ever before.
According to the BNP, thousands of its activists died in jail or police custody. More than six hundred leaders-activists have been the victim of forced disappearance. Even after that, BNP has been able to retain its existence and there had been no split in the party.
The party is thinking to form a new alliance. It didn’t leave the field of politics even after getting shattered by numerous cases. So, the main challenge of the party is to establish an election-time government.
Professor Harun-or-Rashid, former vice-chancellor of National University told the Bangladesh Pratidin, “As there’s the crisis of leadership exist in the party, it now needs the practice of self-purification and self-criticism.”
If it doesn’t come back in the spirit of the Liberation War, give up the terrorist activities and show a responsible attitude, they will surely see a bleaker picture, he added.
BNP vice-chairman and former president of national press club Shawkat Mahmud said, “BNP is in temporary crisis. We’re on the verge of overcoming the prolonged crisis.”
Ziaur Rahman founded the party in a very tough situation and his followers know how to overcome the crisis, he added.
Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) President Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul said an anti-Awami League political segment supports BNP and it (BNP) has an alliance. However, it wasn’t able to involve mass people in its programmes, except the core party members.
Former Dhaka University professor Dr Mahbub Ullah said, “Those leaders who work with honest intention, will not be lost from the heart of the people. In the history of different nations, there’re examples of many leaders and their followers, who suffered torture from the opposition. However, they didn’t lose heart. I’ve seen the same example in Khaleda Zia, who didn’t lose her spirit even at age of 77 years. So, people of Bangladesh will remember her forever.”
@ This report appeared on the print and online version of Bangladesh Pratidin on Wednesday (August 31) and has been rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque and Golam Rosul
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