Most BNP leaders oppose Chunnu's joining party

Rejaul Karim may join BNP at a function in prime minister's presence here and also seek alliance nomination from Kishoreganj3 in the coming election, party sources said.

The prime minister is scheduled to inaugurate a newly built stadium in the town, reconstructed Kishoreganj railway and lay foundation of a nursing institute and hospital today.

During the Thursday's procession, leaders and activists of BNP and its front organisations chanted slogan against Rejaul Karim and urged BNP high-ups not to take him in the party.

The processionists paraded different streets of the town and then gathered on compound of the Circuit House where Education Minister Dr M Osman Faruk was present.

The procession was organised by alliance nomination seekers from Kishoreganj Sadar (Kishoreganj-3) lawmaker Hasne Ara Gias Daizi and BNP leader Justice Habibul Islam Bhuiyan (ex-Jatia Party (Ershad) minister), municipal chairman Abu Taher Miah, former BNP lawmakers Masud Halali and Ataur Rahman Khan, Kishoregasnj district BNP secretary Waliullah Rabbani, former JCD leaders Khaled Saifullah Sohel and Shah Nazrul Islam.

After organising the procession, they went to the circuit house and talked to Education Minister Osman Farruk to stop Rejaul Karim's joining BNP.

At the same time, Rejaul Karim, who was Dhaka Divisional Special Judge, reached the circuit house with at least 500 followers.

In presence of Osman, he told his supporters that he was the founder vice-president of central JCD but did not continue in politics as he held a government job. Now that he is no more in service, he will concentrate in politics and wants to join BNP in presence of the party chief.

Additional police were deployed there to avert any untoward situation.

The rival factions calmed down when Osman said he would discuss the matter with the prime minister over phone and she would decide whether Rejaul Karim would be formally taken in BNP.

Party insiders later told this correspondent that Rejaul Karim's joining would intensify the rivalry in BNP in the area and shatter election prospects.

Rejaul Karim Khan Chunnu was Dhaka Divisional Special Judge. He had to resign as he held public programmes in Kishoreganj-3 constituency. He is also an aspirant for alliance nomination in the coming election.

Sources close to Rejaul Karim however claimed that he enjoys blessings a Hawa Bhavan got assurance of nomination.

In 2001 election, four-party alliance candidate Masud Hilali was defeated by Awami League's Sayeed Ashraful Islam in Kishoreganj-3. Hilali got 72,483 votes and Ashraful got 82,062 votes.

At least BNP 10 nomination seekers are campaigning in the constituency, holding programmes separately.

There is no full-fledged district committee in Kishoreganj for over 12 years. A two-member district committee with Dr. Osman as president and Rabbani as secretary runs the party for about two years, sources said.

Factions loyal to Dr. Osman and Rabbani also held separate programmes marking BNP's founding day this year.