Rift, leadership crisis grip Jhenidah BNP
4 ex-MPs still absconding: Party leaders divided over reform
Moshiur Rahman, Shahidul Islam and Abdul Wahab
With frustrated grassroots leaders and activists, BNP in Jhenidah is disarray as most party bigwigs are engaged in bickering and intra-party feud. Most top-ranking leaders are still away from party offices, several weeks into the withdrawal of the ban on indoor politics while four former lawmakers of the party are on the run, facing corruption cases. The four former lawmakers -- Jhenidah district BNP President Moshiur Rahman, Organising Secretary Abdul Wahab, Shahidul Islam Master and Shahiduzzaman Beltu -- are also on the corruption list of Anti-Corruption Commission. They went into hiding after promulgation of emergency in January last year and were later sued for alleged extortion, land grabbing, tender manipulation, misappropriation of relief goods and other corruption. Tthe party leaders are now divided into two groups one loyal to party Chairman Khaleda Zia and the other supporting the 'pro-reform' leaders. Jhenidah district BNP President Moshiur Rahman, who was elected from Jhenidah-2 constituency (Jhenidah Sadar and Harinakundo upazilas) for three consecutive terms in 1991, 1996 and 2001, has been on the run since declaration of emergency. He is accused in extortion and murder cases. There are also allegations of tender manipulation, land grabbing and other acts of corruption. Recently Jhenidah district administration demolished the illegal structures built by the BNP leader, also a whip in parliament. District BNP Organising Secretary Abdul Wahab, who was elected from Jhenidah-1 (Shailkupa) constituency in 1996, left his constituency after declaration of emergency. He had become the chairman of 20 institutions in Shailkupa upazila and allegedly misappropriated several crore taka. He has taken the side of 'pro-reform' faction of BNP. Shailkupa pourasava BNP President Khalilur Rahman said they will boycott Abdul Wahab in the upcoming polls and support Khondakar Shahidul Islam, secretary of former prime minister Khaleda Zia. Alal Uddin, Chairman and BNP vice president of No-6 Sarutia Union under Shailkupa upazila said, they will resist former MP Abdul Wahab for his 'betrayal' with the people of Shailkupa and 'doing harm' to educational institutions. Shahidul Islam Master, elected from Jhenidah-3 (Kotchandpur and Moheshpur upazilas) constituency in 2001, is accused in at least 15 cases for extortion, misappropriation of relief materials, and land grabbing. After the promulgation of emergency, he and his family members went into hiding. He allegedly misappropriated a huge amount of money by arranging electricity connection. Police also recovered relief materials from his possession. There are also allegations that he occupied most of the water bodies in his area and realised a good amount of money by leasing them. In Jhenidah-4 constituency, a rift has developed between former lawmaker Shahiduzzaman Beltu (elected in 2001) and Kaliganj pourasava BNP acting Chairman Mahbubur Rahman, who are maintaining two groups. Party men loyal to the two opponent leaders recently went to BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain to persuade him for party nomination in favour of their desired candidate for the next general election. Tabibur Rahman, former general secretary of Kaliganj upazila BNP, said, Beltu ill-treated BNP leaders and activists who were considered as 'not obedient' to him. Using his loyalists, he would earn illegal money from development works.
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