BNP factions flex muscles on streets for ticket

A rival faction of BNP led by Anisuzzaman Khan and Abdul Mannan Sarker brought out a stick processiopn in Gaibandha town yesterday. PHOTO: STAR

They brought out the procession in support of their today's hartal in the town, called earlier to press release of their leader Shiekh Samad Azad, former president of Gaibandha BNP and four-party alliance convener.

They alleged that Azad was arrested at the behest of their rival faction's leader, district BNP president Hamidul Huq Chhana.

Azad was arrested on Thursday, hours before a scheduled meeting of 'deprived' BNP leaders and workers at his house in the town.

The two rival factions have been holding separate processions and rallies in the town since Thursday, accusing each other.

The feud intensified over nomination from Gaibandah-2 constituency (Sadar), party sources said.

After yesterday's procession, Azad's supporters held a rally in font of Gaibandha Presss Club, where speakers accused Hamidul Huq Chhana of tarnishing the party's image by 'corrupt practices' and of autocratic behaviour. They also declared him 'unwanted' in the district.

It was addressed by, among others, former secretary of district BNP Anisuzzaman Khan Babu and its Sadar unit president Abdul Mannan Sarker.

They alleged that incumbent district BNP president Hamidul Huq Chhana got their leader and four-party alliance convener Shiekh Samad Azad arrested to implement his "ill motives".

They demanded his immediate release and threatened of tougher agitation inlcuding road blocade and indefinite hartal in the town for non-compliance.

They called upon party activists to enforce a day-long hartal in the town for release of Azad.

Soon after Azad's arrest on Thursday, his supporters brought out processions and held a rally on Shaheed Minar premises.

Presided over by former lawmaker Rustom Ali Mollah, it was addressed, by among others, former district BNP secretary Anisuzzaman Khan Babu, former organising secretary Gausul Azam Dollar, Sadar BNP president Abdul Mannan Sarker, Abdus Satter, Abdul Hadi, Enamul Islam Tuku, Shah Azam Sarker, Mizanur Rahman Mizan, Abdul Kafi and Aklima Begum.

They alleged that he was arrested to foil Thursday's meeting of 'deprived' senior BNP leaders at his house.

On Thursday in the evening, another faction brought out a procession in the town demanding punishment of Shiekh Samad Azad for his alleged "terrorist activities".

BNP in Gaibandha is divided into two factions, one led by Hamidul Huq Chhana and the other by former district BNP secretary Anisuzzaman Khan Babu and its Sadar unit president Abdul Mannan Sarker.

Talking to this correspondent, Abdul Mannan Sarker claimed that no senior leader of the party is with Hamidul Huq Chana now because of his autocratic behaviour and they will not support him if he is nominated from the constituency in coming election.

At least six BNP leaders will vie for nomination from the constituency, party leaders said.

Anisuzzaman Khan Babu was the four-party alliance nominee from the constituency in 2001 election but he lost to Awami League's Lutfar Rahman.

Talking to newsmen at the press club yesterday, Hamidul Huq Chhana however claimed that there is no rivalry in Gaibandha BNP.

"Some party men who created chaos were expelled from its district and Sader upazila committees on different grounds", he said.

"BNP in Gaibandha is now strong enough to face any election challenge", he claimed.

In the last election, Lutfar Rahman got 68,598 votes while Abdur Rashid Sarker ran second with a narrow margin of 1079 votes.