Pabna BNP factions' face-off over UZ poll

Procession, rally held protesting expulsion of joint secretary and upazila poll candidate Babu

14 January 2009, 18:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Pabna

Supporters of BNP leader Babu bring out a procession in Pabna town yesterday protesting his expulsion.Photo: STAR

The intra-party feud in Pabna BNP over candidacy in upazila poll took a new turn yesterday as joint secretary of its district committee and secretary of the Sadar upazila body Anisul Haque Babu was expelled from the party. BNP central committee expelled Babu on Tuesday for contesting for the post of upazila chairman, party sources here said. Yesterday, agitated supporters of Babu in Pabna BNP and its front organizations brought out a procession and held a protest meeting in the district town against the decision. Party sources said central BNP office secretary Ruhul Kabir Rijvi issued the expulsion notice on Tuesday, blaming Babu for violating discipline and contesting in upazila poll ignoring the party decision. The expulsion notice reached Pabna yesterday, which triggered protests by Babu's supporters. In the procession, Babu's supporters chanted slogans against Samsur Rahman Shimul Biswas, an aide to party chief Begum Khaleda Zia and secretary of the district committee. The protest rally, held at Pabna town hall ground, was addressed by among others join secretary of district committee Nur Mohammed Masum Boga and Jubo Dal leader Mosabbir Hossain Sanju. Contacted, Pabna BNP secretary Habibur Rahman said, the central committee has expelled Babu for violating party discipline and Pabna party leaders are not responsible for this. A BNP faction claimed that Babu is got the highest number of votes of grassroots leaders in the primary selection for candidacy. On Tuesday night, the othger faction led by district unit president and its secretary held another press conference at Pabna Press Club where they said the district and the central committees selected Pabna district Jatiyatabadi Chatra Dal president Mahamudunnabi Shwapan as upazila chairman in Sadar.