Rival factions threaten to 'paralyse' Khulna

On Thursday in the evening, an emergency meeting of Khulna city BNP convening committee was held at the residence of the Mayor. Nineteen out of 31 ward commissioners belonging to BNP, 13 leaders of thana BNP committees and 18 Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal leaders attended the meeting, presided over by Shaharuzzaman Martuza, member-secretary of city BNP committee.

Speakers at the meeting threatened party high-ups that they would 'paralyse' Khulna and go for a tough agitation if Mayor Tayebur Rahman, Ali Asgar Lobi and Prof Majidul Islam are not given nomination from Khulna-3, Khulna-2 and Khulna-4 seats respectively.

After the meeting a letter was faxed to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia Thursday night urging her to meet this demand by December 23 or to 'face the consequence from December 24'.

When contacted, former whip Ashraf Hossain said the Mayor is 'bluffing the people to save him from disgrace'.

"My nomination was confirmed by Begum Zia and accordingly I field nomination paper to returning officer on Wednesday.

"The situation in Khulna-3 will turn volatile if there is any change in decision", he said.

Meanwhile, traffic on Khulna-Dhaka highway remained suspended from 8 am to 11am yesterday as a large number of BNP activists put up barricades on the road demanding nomination of central Chatra Dal president Azizul Bari Helal from Khulna-4 (Rupsha-Terokheda-Dighalia) constituency.

Buses on seven routes from Rupsha ferry terminal were forced to stop plying for three hours.

The barricades were later removed by members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab).

Later, at about noon, four Union Parishad chairmen of three upazilas jointly held a press conference at Khulna Press Club where they declared former lawmaker M Nurul Islam 'unwanted' in Khulna-4 constituency.

M Nurul Islam was elected from this constituency in 2001 election. Nurul Islam at a recent press conference on Thursday claimed that he has been nominated from Khulna-4 again for the coming election.

None but Azizul Bari Helal will be accepted as candidate of four-party alliance from Khulna-4 constituency, said the UP chairmen.

A large number Chatra Dal and Jubo Dal leaders who accompanied the UP chairmen and BNP leaders at the press conference threatened hunger strike an to 'paralyse life' in Rupsha, Terokhada and Digholia upazilas if Helal is not nominated.

They also threatened to resign from BNP if their demand is not met.

On Thursday in the afternoon, supporters of Khulna district BNP president Prof. Majidul Islam also threatened agitation if he is not nominated from Khulna-4 constituency.