Leadership crisis in Tangail BNP
Former minister from the district on the run after conviction, state minister in jail and two others keep away
Tangail BNP faces a leadership crisis as four ministers and state ministers during BNP-led alliance government from the district are either in jail or virtually inactive since declaration of emergency. Party leaders and activists and grassroots level are frustrated also because of what they said 'a big gap' created among front ranking leaders at district and upazila levels over reform issue. District BNP president Maj Gen (retd) Mahmudul Hasan is with the reformists while general secretary Moniruzzaman Khan Bulbul is with Khandaker Delwar Hossain, party sources said. Mahmudul Hasan was not seen in Tangail for long, party men said. Party men in the district town could hold any informal meeting since allowing indoor politics, they said. The local administration vacated the district BNP office from a rented building in Main Road area in Tangail town as its owner lodged a complaint for not paying the rent for years. A signboard of district BNP office has been hung in front of a small room in Old Bus Stand area, which draws few party men, party sources said. Former minister and influential BNP leader in the district Shajahan Siraj and his family are absconding since declaration of emergency, police said. A court convicted Shajahan Siraj, his wife Rabeya Siraj, son and daughter in tax dodging cases in absentia. Shajahan Siraj also faces two more corruption cases. Former state minister Lutfar Rahman Khan Azad is virtually inactive in politics since the emergency, party men said. After 1/11, he was seen only once in the court area when he went there to appear in court in a cheating case filed with Ghatail police station. Former deputy minister Abdus Salam Pintu, another influential BNP leader in Tangail, was arrested few months ago in connection with the August 21 grenade attack on the rally of Sheikh Hasina. He is still in jail. Another former state minister of the alliance government from Tangail, Goutam Chakroborty, was also not seen in the district since emergency. Some dedicated field level BNP leaders and activists told The Daily Star that they are bracing for 'more hard days' as a 'strong Tangail BNP has been weakened after the 1/11'. In absence of the four ministers, distance district BNP president Maj Gen (retd) Mahmudul Hassan and general secretary Moniruzzaman Khan Bulbul over reform issue has deepened the crisis in the district, they said. Ataur Rahman Jinnah, joint convener of Tangail district Jubo Dal, said frustration has gripped leaders and activists at all levels as tenure of district BNP and its fronts Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal expired many years ago as councils were not held. After allowing indoor politics, district BNP secretary Bulbul started contacting field level party leaders and activists while party president Maj Gen (retd) Mahmudul Hassan is maintaining silence, party men said. Talking to this correspondent, some 'dedicated' leaders and activists said they believe there is no alternative to unity among party men in Tangail in the crisis period. Bulbul however claimed that BNP leaders and activists in Tangail are united under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia.
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