Attack on Ex-MP Khaleda Robbani's House

Moulvibazar BNP factions go tough against each other

27 July 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Moulvibazar

Internal feud in Moulvibazar BNP has surfaced again as two factions of the unit took tough stand against each other following Saturday night's attack on the house of district BNP Joint Convenor and former lawmaker Khaleda Robbani. Khaleda Robbani's husband Golam Robbani filed a case in connection with the attack while leaders of the two groups have held separate press conferences blaming each other for the incident. Fourteen BNP activists were made accused in the case fled by Golam Robbani with Moulvibazar Police Station on Sunday. Saifur Rahman's son M Naser Rahman was made convener and Begum Khaleda Robbani joint convenor of Moulvibazar BNP as the convening committees of the party's district units were announced on June 9. A group of BNP activists allegedly loyal to Naser Rahman, son of former finance minister M Saifur Rahman, attacked the house of Khaleda Robbani, leader of another faction, at about 10:00pm on Saturday, said a few adherents of Khaleda Robbani. Five people were injured and a nursery, a motorbike and the gate of the house were damaged during the incident. At a press conference at the house of Khaleda Robbani on Sunday evening, BNP leaders loyal to her blamed M Naser Rahman for Saturday's attack on Khaleda Robbani's house. Speakers at the press conference said as most of the senior and dedicated leaders of Moulvibazar district BNP were not included in the convening committee formed on June 9, leaders of Moulvibazar BNP had demanded that BNP central committee co-opt senior leaders in the committee. Responding to this demand, the BNP central committee later reconstituted the convening committee of the party's district unit by including senior leaders, they said. “Being dissatisfied with the reconstitution of the convening committee of Moulvibazar BNP, Naser Rahman bargained with the central committee. But Naser failed to get desired results and he become furious against the senior leaders. Consequently, his supporters attacked the house of Khaleda Robbani,” said a BNP leader at the press conference. Loyalists of Naser Rahman also held a press conference at a local restaurant on Sunday evening. Blaming Khaleda Robbani's supporters for the unwanted situation, Naser loyalists at the press conference said a group of JCD activists, who are close to Robbani supporters' leader Mizanur Rahman, are responsible for the attack on Robbani's house. Meanwhile, Khaleda Robbani, also former president of Moulvibazar district BNP, and her supporters have demanded removal of M Naser Rahman from the position of convener of Moulvibazar district BNP. Following reconstitution of Moulvibazar district BNP convening committee, it has now 69 members while all other district convening committees of the party comprise 51 members each.