Dinajpur BNP demands party men in all 6 constituencies
Party meet opposes Jamaat
Grassroots BNP leaders and activists of Dinajpur have demanded nomination of party candidates in all six constituencies in the district for the upcoming parliamentary election.
At the meeting held at Dinajpur Natya Samity auditorium on Saturday, they said they would not accept candidature of any person of Jamaat-e-Islami, a key ally of BNP-led four-party alliance, in those constituencies.
They said the party decision to surrender Dinajpur-1 and Dinajpur-6 constituencies to Jamaat in 2001 national elections was wrong.
With tickets from BNP-led four-party alliance, Jamaat leaders Azizur Rahman Chowdhury and Md Abdullah Al Kafi from were elected from Dinajpur-1 and Dinajpur-6 constituencies in 2001.
Abdullah Al Kafi died in 2005.
At the meeting held at Dinajpur Natya Samity auditorium on Saturday, the grassroots leaders demanded that in the coming election party Chairperson Khaleda Zia contest from Dinajpur-3 [Dinajpur Sadar] constituency from where her elder sister Khurshid Zahan Haque was elected in 2001.
In Dinajpur-1 [Birganj-Kaharol] the leaders demanded BNP candidate while the party high command is planning to set a candidate from Jamaat. In 2005 by-election, Jamaat leader Md Aftab Uddin Mollah lost to independent candidate Monoranjan Shill Gopal.
Aftab Uddin Mollah, president of Jamaat's Dinajpur unit, will seek party ticket from BNP-led four-party alliance in the coming election, party sources said.
Most grassroots want advocate Abdul Halim from Dinajpur-4 [Khansama-Chirirbandar] instead of former lawmaker Md Akhtaruzzaman as he failed to remain active in his constituency, party sources said.
Grassroots leaders demanded candidacy of AZM Rezwanul Haque from Dinajpur-5 [Phulbari-Parbatipur]. Mokbuler Rahman Gorky and Lutfar Rahman Mintu are potential candidates from Dinajpur-6.
Dinajpur district BNP held the conference to reunite grassroots leaders and activists of district BNP as the political activities remained suspended since declaration of the state of emergency on January 11 last year.
Mirza Fokhrul Islam Alamgir, president of Thakurgoan district BNP, attended the meeting as chief guest while former Chhatra Dal leader Habibun Nabi was present as special guest.
Mirza Fokhrul Islam Alamgir, who was elected lawmaker from Thakurgaon-1 [Thakurgaon Sadar] constituency in 2001 with BNP ticket and served as state minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation during the BNP-led four-party alliance rule, is holding political meetings in Dinajpur Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts to reorganize grassroots party leaders and activists ahead of parliament elections.
Party sources said front leaders of Dinajpur district BNP including former army chief Lt Gen Mahbubur Rahman, who was elected lawmaker from Dinajpur-2 constituency in 2001, did not attend the meeting.
However, grassroots level BNP leaders have demanded his candidacy from Dinajpur-2 constituency in the forthcoming election.
Dinajpur district BNP is facing leadership crisis that followed death of Khurshid Jahan Haque, elder sister of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, on June 14 in 2006, party insiders said.
The leadership crisis worsened after the imposition of emergency and at one stage top BNP leaders in the district including Lt Gen Mahbubur Rahman of Dinajpur-2 constituency and Md Akhtaruzzaman, former lawmaker from Dinajpur-4 demanded reform in the party.
Alamgir, who held meetings with party leaders in Dinajpur, Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts, ensured the grassroots leaders of discussing their demand with the party high command.
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