Rivals thwart central BNP team's meet in Barisal city
A faction of local BNP display a banner rejecting party central team's visit to Barisal city yesterday.Photo: STAR
The central BNP team now on a organisational tour of the country, could not hold its scheduled meeting at Barisal party office due to resistance by a faction loyal to former Mayor Mojibur Rahman Sarwar. The meeting was scheduled at 4 pm but not held at the district BNP office till 8 pm as Sarwar loyalists took position there to resist it, party sources said. About 200 BNP activists carrying black flags and banners with slogans 'We don't accept pro-reformist leaders like Alal, Joynal, Selima' gathered in front of the district BNP office after holding a rally in front of Aswani Kumar Hall and took control of the premises yesterday noon. Barisal district BNP vice president Maniruzaman Faruk, organizing secretary Advocate Shakhawat Hossain Jummon, city BNP secretary BNP Azizul Huq Akkas and city Jubo Dal convener Abul Kalam Shahin were seen among the demonstrators. When this report was filed at about 8 pm, the party office premises was cordoned by police and agitated party activist seen waiting there to resist the central BNP team. Tension mounted in the party rank and file as the rival factions loyal to Sarwar and Jobo Dal convener Moazzem Hossain Alal were in a stand-off position over visit by the team led by Selima Rahman. The pro-Sarwar group in Barisal city earlier announced that it will resists the visit. Advocate Nazrul Islam Rajon, secretary of Barisal sadar south district BNP, said the meeting was scheduled to be held at Barisal district and city BNP office at Aswanikumar Hall at 4 pm. But the venue was later changed for the Gournadi meeting. Begum Selima Rahman, leader of the visiting team, acknowledging the agitation told The Daily Star that some party activists 'misunderstood' the visit. They thought that the team would make selection for nomination. The visit by the central team is only to assess the field level situation and try to remove factional differences, she added. The central team held another meeting at Gournadi. It started at about noon and continued till late evening. Party sources said the Gournadi meeting was lingered as the leaders could not allowed to hold the scheduled meeting in Barisal city. The extended meeting of Barisal north district BNP at Gournadi Public Library Hall was however held under police protection.. Majibor Rahman Dulal, acting president of Barisal Sadar north district BNP, presided over the meeting, attended by Begum Selima Rahman, central Jubo Dal secretary and former lawmaker Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, central BNP law affairs secretary advocate Joynul Abedin and former lawmakers Abul Hossain and Bilkis Jahan Shirin as special guests. Former lawmaker Mosharraf Hossain Mongu, who is central BNP organizing secretary and president of Barisal north district BNP, told journalists that the meeting called in Barisal city was illegal as the so called president in-charge can not call a meeting while there is party president. This violates the party constitution, he added. The central tean also includes Syed Moazed Hossain Alal, advocate Joynul Abedin, Abul Hossain and Bilkis Jahan Shirin.
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