Leadership crisis and various inner conflicts have made the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) a forlorn one. BNP, one of the major opposition political parties in the National Parliament, is being lonely day by day as its friends and allies one after another are abandoning it.
Grassroots level leaders and activists of the party as well as BNP supporters are getting frustrated and angry with its senior leaders.
According to sources, BNP as a political party, which had been in power three times, is getting weaker due to doubts and mistrust among its leaders and intra-party leadership conflicts as well. At the same time, the allied partners are also leaving the BNP one by one for the same reason.
The BNP itself also severed relations with its well- wishers and allies.
In the latest move, the BNP cut off relations with veteran politician Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, also the founder of Gonoshasthya Kendra.
Experts said the BNP cut off relations with Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury as the party does not tolerate any kind of criticism, which is a sign of undemocratic attitude.
For the same reason, many other well-wishers of BNP, its senior leaders and different allies left the party earlier.
Two months ago, Jamiyat-e-Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, an old religious and Qaumi Madrasah-based party, withdrew itself from the BNP-led 20-party alliance alleging that the BNP did not evaluate them in the past.
In a few years the BNP lost its several other allies including Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) led by former BNP leader Col (Retd) Oli Ahmed, Bangladesh Kalyan Party led by another former BNP leader Gen (Retd) Ibrahim, National People’s Party and Islami Oikya Jote.
On the other hand, immediately before the past national election, the BNP had formed another alliance jointly with the BNP-led 20-party
alliance and ‘Jatiya Oikya Front’ led by Gono Forum Leader Dr Kamal Hossain.
But, neither the Jatiya Oikya Front nor any party like Gono Furum, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) led by ASM Abdur Rob, Krishak-Shramik-Janata League led by Qader Siddique and Nagorik Oikya led by former DUSCU leader Mahmudur Rahman Manna is active now with the BNP.
Moreover, Jamaat-e-Islami, the key partner of the BNP-led alliance, has no communication with the BNP for the last few years.
As a result, the BNP has now become a party detached from both the mass people and its allies.
It is widely known that BNP as a political party lost public support and sympathy due to its various activities against the people of the country and the independence of Bangladesh as well.
Besides, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, who is convicted by the court for corruption charges, has become physically and legally unfit to run the party. She has no capacity to move or carry out political activities.
In the circumstances, her elder son Tariq Rahman, acting chief of the BNP, took over the leadership of the BNP. But, Tariq Rahman himself is a fugitive for his involvement with the heinous August 21 grenade attack charges. He has been staying in London as a fugitive.
As a result, the BNP suffers from leadership crisis in Bangladesh.
