Frustration is growing among leaders and activists within BNP and its affiliated organisations as most party committees remain expired for years without fresh councils or new leadership.
According to party sources, the terms of committees of almost all BNP affiliate bodies, including the main party committee, have long expired despite constitutional provisions requiring new committees every three years. In some organisations, the same leadership has remained in place for up to a decade, creating organisational stagnation and limiting opportunities for new leadership to emerge.
Many leaders of the party's main and affiliate organizations are involved in the cabinet and parliament. Their time for organizational activities has decreased. This is hindering organizational activities. Frustration is also growing among the aspirants.
The last national council of BNP was held in March 2016. Although there is no more council after that, changes and additions have been made to the party's national executive committee on a regular basis. New faces have been recruited.
Party officials say that for now, the top leadership's main priority is running the government's activities. Therefore, the possibility of holding a national council this year is slim.
Several posts are vacant in the BNP’s highest policy-making body, the National Standing Committee. The number of members of the standing committee, including the party's chairman, senior vice chairman and secretary general, is 19 according to the constitution of the party.
Committee member Major (retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram has been elected Speaker of the 13th National Parliament. That is why his post is also vacant. Currently, the committee members are Tarique Rahman (Chairman), Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr. Abdul Moeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir (Secretary General), Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Begum Selima Rahman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain.
Several leaders including Begum Khaleda Zia, Moudud Ahmed, Tariqul Islam and other members of the standing committee have died in the last few years.
Nationalist Youth Party, Volunteer Party, Women's Party, Farmers' Party, Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Tati Dal, Matsyajibi Dal, Muktijoddha Party, Jasas and Ulama Party - these 9 are the BNP's constituent organizations. Chhatra Dal and Sramik Party are BNP's associate organizations. However, most of these organizations do not have a full constitution.
Before the 2024 mass uprising, a partial committee of the Jubo Dal was announced with Abdul Monayem Munna as the president and Nurul Islam Nayan as the general secretary. Even after more than a year and a half, they have not yet been able to form a full committee.
Among them, General Secretary Nurul Islam Nayan has been elected as a member of parliament from Bhola-4 constituency.
The Swechchhasebak Dal, Chhatra Dal, Krishak Dal, Mahila Dal, Muktijoddha Dal, Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Tati Dal, Jasos, Sramik Dal and Matsyajibi Dal also do not have a committee term.
Both Swechchhasebak Dal President SM Jilani and General Secretary Rajib Ahsan have been elected members of parliament. Rajib is currently serving as a state minister in the government.
In September 2021, the Krishak Dal committee was formed with Hasan Jafir Tuhin as president and Shahidul Islam Babul as general secretary. The term of this three-year committee ended about a year and a half ago.
In March 2024, the Chhatra Dal central committee was announced with Rakibul Islam Rakib as president and Nasir Uddin Nasir as general secretary. The term of this committee ended in February this year.
The party's former and current leaders and activists have said that the defeat of Chhatra Dal in the recent student union elections held in public universities of the country has ruined the organization's past traditions. As a result, demands have been raised from within the organization itself for the reorganization of the organization and a new acceptable leadership.
In September 2016, the Mohila Dal committee was announced with Afroza Abbas as the president and Sultana Ahmed as the general secretary. The same committee has been running for 10 years. During this time, BNP nominated Sultana for the reserved women's seat in the current parliament.
In December 2013, Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat became the president of Muktijoddha Dal and Sadeq Khan became the general secretary through the council. More than a decade has passed. Even during this time, there has been disappointment among the leaders and activists of the organization as there has been no new committee.
In April 2014, the Sramik Dal committee was formed under the leadership of Anwar Hossain and Nurul Islam Khan Nasim at the last national council. Although the term of the committee ended in 2016, no new council has been held. Currently, the top two leaders are ill.
In February 2019, the Matsyajibi Dal convening committee was formed with Rafiqul Islam Mahtab as convener and former Chhatra Dal leader Abdur Rahim as member secretary. Rafiqul Islam died in August 2024. Later, on September 23, 2024, the BNP dissolved the organization's committee. After that, there was no more committee.
The central convening committee of the Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Tati Dal, formed in 2019, also expired almost four years ago. Although it had a three-year term according to the constitution, the term of this committee ended in 2022.
A partial committee was announced with Abul Kalam Azad as convener and Md. Mujibur Rahman as member secretary, which was supposed to be completed within three months.
However, since the central council has not been held for a long time, the old leaders are conducting the activities.
Meanwhile, after the elections, the race for top positions in the party has increased. The aspirants have already started lobbying.
According to them, the organization is weakening as the new committee is not announced on time. The path to forming a new leadership has also become narrow. Internal conflicts are also increasing.
In the overall context, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the Prime Minister's political adviser and BNP's senior joint secretary general, told Bangladesh Pratidin that the busyness has increased after the formation of the government.
Meanwhile, discussions are underway on organizational activities. It is expected that the party and associate organizations will gain new momentum after Eid-ul-Azha.
Bd-pratidin English/TR
