BNP in deep trouble:Daily Sun

Faced with enormous internal and external problems, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is passing through the worst time since its inception 36 years ago. According to sources, on the one side, the suspicion and distrust as well as rivalry among the leaders of the party have climaxed and, on the other, the government has held the BNP tight. The division which was created in the BNP over the ‘r

eform’ issue after the 1/11 has not been removed yet. Moreover, the government has seriously distressed the leaders and activists of the party by implicating them in various cases. Against this backdrop, the organisational structure of the BNP is on the verge of collapse. A question has been raised as to whether the party under the present leadership and structure will ever be able to go to power in the coming years. But the leaders of the party and the intellectuals supporting are not disappointed. In their opinion, despite repeated attacks            and filing of cases, the BNP is still the most popular party. One day election will be held in the country and if it is fair, the BNP will come to power. They, however, admit that there have been some mistakes in the political strategy over the last few years. The party leaders claimed that the BNP can turn around again if it engages the active leaders alongside creating young leadership.  Party sources said even after the scrapping of the caretaker government system, the BNP believed that under the pressure from local and foreign forces, the government would cancel the January 5 elections and fair polls will be held. But the then Indian government, known as the supporting force for political changeover in Bangladesh, backed January 5 elections. Despite having massive public support,  only for the lack of organisational strength, the BNP failed to resist the polls. As a result, after forming the government following the elections the ruling circle launched a crackdown on the activists of the BNP and its allies. Many were killed in gunfights and several leaders and workers became victims of forced disappearance. Most of the central leaders became inactive as they were implicated in cases. The BNP tried to be reorganised on the first anniversary of the elections, but the latest attempt to forge a tough movement also fell flat. And cases were filed   against thousands of leaders and workers on the charge of creating violence. At present hundreds of leaders and workers including the acting secretary general of the party are in jail. Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman are facing the charges. Under these circumstances, it has become difficult for the BNP even to survive, not to speak of continuing movement against the government. The organisational structure of the party is on the brink of collapse. The BNP is now almost inactive. The party is neither in the parliament, nor in the streets. The BNP was led by Ziaur Rahman during the  first four years and, Khaleda Zia has been leading the party for the last 32 years. She received the mandate as the BNP Chairperson from the last national council in 2009. The party constitution provides for the council every three years which is not being held. The executive committee meeting of the party could not be held after July 2012 for political unrest. The BNP is run by chairperson’s sole authority. As a result, the responsibility of good or bad of the party ultimately rests with  Khaleda Zia herself.