Rift in Satkhira BNP widens

The new committee announced on Monday was formed through selection after dissolution of an elected committee, party sources said.

This has widened the gap between the two groups led by lawmaker Habibul Islam Habib and former general secretary of Satkhira BNP advocate Syed Iftekhar Ali.

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The group led by Syed Iftekhar is opposed to the new committee, welcomed by the Habib faction.

Moreover, discontent is brewing among dedicated leaders and workers over composition of the new committee, allegedly selected without consulting them, the sources claimed.

Habibul Islam Habib, Abdul Jalil and Rahmatullah Polash have been made president, senior vice-president and general secretary respectively of the new committee.

In the last council of Satkhira district BNP held in 1997, a 101-member committee was elected with advocate Monsur Ali and advocate Syed Iftekhar Ali as president and general secretary respectively. After the death of Monsur Ali, senior vice-president Abdul Jalil was made acting president of the district unit.

Leaders and activists belonging to Habib faction distributed sweets to welcome the new body shortly after the announcement in the town.

On the other hand, supporters of Syed Iftekhar criticised the new committee as "undemocratic".

Kaliganj thana BNP brought out a procession led by its president Prof Khoda Baksa welcoming the new district committee. Assassin thana Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal also brought out a procession haling the new body.

Sadar thana BNP President Abdul Alim and General Secretary Shahidul Islam, district Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal President Abul Hasan Hadi and General Secretary Maroof Khan Mithu, Kaligonj Press Club President Prof Tamizuddin and General Secretary Saiful Karim in separate statements welcomed the new committee.

But a prominent leader while talking to this correspondent seeking anonymity termed it "undemocratic" and called for formation of a new one through a council. He also sought party BNP chief's intervention in this regard.

Party insiders told this correspondent that the strife among district leaders has frustrated grassroots level workers and supporters that will weaken the party.