Rift widens in Rajshahi AL over Sardar Amjad issue

The meeting held at Mianpara Public Library with its Acting President Meraj Mollah in the chair decided to "oust" its General Secretary Tajul Islam Md Faruk if he "continues to violate central instructions".

On the other hand, Faruk's meeting held at Rajshahi Engineers' Institute with self-declared Acting President Ataur Rahman in the chair demanded "intervention by party high command" to take action against his opponents.

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They are divided over joining of Sardar Amjad Hossain in AL from Jatiya Party, who is being seen as a contestant in the next general elections from Bagmara-Mohonpur constituency against Faruk.

Leaders in Meraj Mollah's group yesterday said they decided to offer a 'conditional consensus' to Faruk, alleging that he was repeatedly violating party high command's instruction not to create division.

"If Faruk denies the consensus proposal, we will oust Faruk from his post and replace him with First Joint Secretary KM Shafiqul Islam Nofel", Meraj Mollah told this correspondent after their meeting.

Their conditions include giving the post of party president to Meraj Mollah and scrapping 'pocket committees' formed without the signature of Meraj Mollah.

They claimed that out of 51 members of the Executive Committee, 25 including three vice-presidents and two joint secretaries were present at their meeting while five were out of Rajshahi.

Among others, the meeting was addressed by party vice- presidents Abdus Samad, Mizanur Rahman, Quazi Abdul Awal and saiful Islam Dulal; joint secretaries KM Shafiqul Islam Nofel and Amanul Hasan Dudu.

Mollah, along with a large number of party leaders and workers recently called on party chief Sheikh Hasina and demanded Faruk's removal.

"The AL chief called me the acting president. As per her directives, I asked Faruk on July 11 to call an Executive Committee meeting on July 17. But he called an 'extended general meeting' and invited me as a vice-president. So I called the EC meeting separately", said Meraj Mollah.

Faruk told The Daily Star that their meeting drew 32 members of the Executive Committee. The meeting decided that the central party high command "should take action against those who are opposing Faruk.

General Secretary Tajul Islam Md Faruk, science and technology affairs secretary Shafikul Islam, Bagmara AL secretary Zakirul Islam Santu and law affairs secretary Motiur Rahman address Faruk's meeting.

The meeting continued when the report was filed in the evening.