A section of BNP leaders who believe in democracy and are in favor of participating in the upcoming general election are becoming increasing frustrated at “whimsical decisions” of Tarique Rahman while they think, in absence of Khaleda Zia Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has already turned into a vessel without captain as they think Tarique Rahman is not fit to run such a large party, because of many reasons, one of which is his extreme greed. They consider Tarique Rahman as a coward, opportunist and a man with no morale.
It may be mentioned here that BNP’s chairperson Khaleda Zia has been serving rigorous imprisonment since 2016 on graft charges, while her son Tarique Rahman is on the run being a convicted terrorist, who has been living in the United Kingdom for almost seventeen years. Following Khaleda Zia’s imprisonment, Tarique Rahman is running the party as its acting chairman.
Majority of the senior leaders of BNP believe Tarique Rahman has already been proved as a coward who does not want to return to Bangladesh and face legal consequences like a genuine politician. Instead, he wants to skip imprisonment and force party leaders and workers to sacrifice for the sake of helping him in becoming Bangladesh’s next prime minister. Because of such mindset of never facing any trouble and only returning to Bangladesh to enjoy premiership and resume his old practice of rampant corruption and loot – senior leaders are already feeling terribly frustrated. Their frustration reached optimum level when during October 28 rally of the party, at the advice of some junior leaders of the party who also are paying millions of dollars every month to Tarique, a section of BNP activists were engaged in attacking the residence of the Chief Justice in Dhaka as well brutal assault on the members of law enforcement agencies and murder of a cop.
It is learnt from a highly-place source that Tarique Rahman instructed at least three junior-level leaders of BNP to ensure death of “at least 10-12 party workers and cops” on October 28, as that would help BNP in convincing Biden administration in exerting “tremendous pressure” on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in resigning and handing-over power to a unelected caretaker government. When this plan was conveyed to BNP’s Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir directly by Tarique Rahman, he had initially objected to such a plot stating this would once again brand BNP as a terrorist organization, which had happened during 2013-2014. But an adamant Tarique Rahman blasted Mirza Fakhrul for such an opinion stating, “if you don’t listen to my decision, just resign and leave the party. Mirza Abbas will replace you”.
Tarique Rahman also told Mirza Fakhrul that several key figures in the Biden administration has told his men in Washington DC, including William B Milam and Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey that death of 10-12 people on October 28 would result in “drastic actions” from the Biden administration on Awami League government.
Quoting William B Milam, Tarique Rahman told Mirza Fakhrul that on October 28 US State Department will impose sanctions on Awami League leaders including members of law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
Following this telephonic conversation, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told his confidantes in the party “Tarique Rahman is committing a blunder. This time BNP will be finished and all of us will be labelled as terrorists”.
Meanwhile, according to another source, a large number of senior leaders of BNP, who are known as loyal to Khaleda Zia are currently planning to leave the party and either join Trinamool BNP or even Awami League. Amongst these leaders are Dr. Moin Khan who has been openly in favor of BNP’s joining the upcoming general election.
Another source told this correspondent, although Tarique Rahman is until now showing no sign of participating in the next general election, several members of his “inner circle” including Giasuddin Mamun and Ashiqul Islam are openly luring nomination seekers with the goal of selling nomination similarly as 2018 general election.
