Photo: Collected
The country's two main political parties, the ruling Awami League and the opposition BNP, are taking to the field with new plans after the Eid festivities. The Awami League is facing the challenge of restoring party discipline after the recent parliamentary and upazila elections. Meanwhile, the opposition BNP wants to take to the streets with issue-based programs alongside party reorganization. The party especially wants to energize its leaders and activists through programmes focused on rising commodity prices and current events.
Awami League leaders say that their members are divided in various ways due to two consecutive elections. Now they are taking to the field to restore discipline. BNP leaders say they will soon launch new programmes.
It has been learned that Awami League leaders and activists are divided in various ways centering on the recent national parliamentary election and upazila elections. Particularly in the parliamentary elections, party members were in an awkward position due to the presence of both party-nominated candidates and independent candidates. While many worked for the party-nominated candidates, a large section of leaders and activists worked for independent candidates. The Awami League largely opened the field in that election, resulting in a breakdown of party discipline. Before this situation could improve, the upazila elections arrived. The Awami League adopted a special strategy to increase voter turnout in these elections as well, again opening up the field by not giving any party nominations. This resulted in another division at the grassroots level of the Awami League.
Now, after the Eid festivities, the Awami League high command is taking to the field to restore party discipline.
Awami League's Organizational Secretary BM Mozammel Haque told The Daily Messenger, “We were busy with two consecutive elections. Our focus was more on the elections than on the organisation. Now that Eid is over, we will take to the field to restore party discipline. This issue was also discussed in a recent executive committee meeting of the party.”
On the other hand, BNP leaders and activists are quite frustrated after the 12th national parliamentary election. The party's allies or like-minded parties are in the same situation. Having been out of power for a long time, the BNP was on the back foot even before the election. Although the party announced programmes demanding elections under a neutral government, the reality was quite different. The programmes were implemented in a lackluster manner. After the January 7 parliamentary election, the Awami League formed a new government and is now in high spirits. On the other hand, BNP and its like-minded parties' leaders and activists are in a difficult position due to attacks, lawsuits, and being out of power for a long time.
To overcome this ongoing situation, the BNP recently held several meetings with its like-minded parties. These meetings discussed their own shortcomings and inability to achieve their demands in the last election. Various opinions were raised on how to turn the party around. Among them, discussions were held on adopting various policies to maintain the support of countries that did not accept this flawed election. Additionally, there were talks about increasing communication with democratic countries that are speaking about Bangladesh's democracy and human rights.
The discussions with like-minded parties emphasised that nothing good can be achieved politically without street movements. With this goal, a decision was made to quickly announce programs focusing on the fragile economic sector and continuous rise in commodity prices. Multiple BNP sources say that the BNP-Jamaat alliance will launch programs right after the Eid festivities end.
Regarding this, BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan told The Daily Messenger, “BNP doesn't just engage in power politics. We do politics with the people. So, we will take to the field with issue-based programs addressing people's sorrows and hardships.”
In response to a question, Nazrul Islam Khan said, “Programmes are not announced with specific dates. However, it's almost certain that we will come up with programs very soon.”
Messenger/Fameema