BNP considers the ‘low voter turnout’ as a success of the party in the 12th national election and the recently concluded upazila elections. The opposition party also thinks that boycotting the January 7 national election and the recently held upazila elections is their ‘big achievement’.
Before the 12th parliamentary election, BNP had been protesting for more than a year demanding the election under the caretaker government and the resignation of the government. In the end, the BNP and its political allies boycotted the election.
A few days before the election, BNP gave programs like leaflet distribution, moving away from the strict program. And after the election, they marched black flags across the country.
BNP leaders and activists believe that although these programs were not outwardly successful to prevent the January 7 election, the decision to boycott the vote was right. They claim that the common people have also boycotted this election. And this is the biggest achievement of BNP.
Meanwhile, BNP also called for boycotting the recently concluded upazila elections. Leaflets were distributed among the public. A grassroots meeting was also called for a boycott of the election.
Many of the party feared that a large number of party leaders would participate in the upazila elections going beyond the party decision. But the number of those who participated in the election was negligible. The BNP also sees this as a success.
Some local leaders who took part in the January 7 elections and upazila elections have been dropped from the BNP. BNP leaders said that after the election, it was seen that the decision of acting chairman Tarique Rahman was right.
Some BNP leaders are also comparing their acting chairman with Indian Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. “Rahul has emerged as an icon for the younger generation. And the acting chairman of BNP is also leading the party from 12,000 kilometers away, giving priority to young leadership.
According to BNP sources, the acting chairman of the party is giving priority to the young leadership and giving instructions to organize the party. Again, a section of senior leaders of the party is trying to get their followers to occupy different positions. As a result, there are allegations in the party that many qualified and tested young leaders are being dropped from the main leadership.
BNP leaders say that BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has been imprisoned for six and a half years in a corruption case. Again, cases have been filed against more than 50 lakh leaders and activists of the party. Many of them are convicted. In such a situation, it was a big challenge to keep BNP united. The acting chairman succeeded in that challenge.
BNP leaders claim that it is a great achievement of the acting chairman to keep BNP united even though he is running the party from London. That is why the morale of the workers did not break even after the failure of the movement of 2014, 2018 and 23.
According to BNP sources, the acting chairman gives importance to the opinions of senior leaders on the party’s policy-making issues. However, he coordinated with some young leaders about the movement and struggle.
A central leader of BNP told Dhaka Times that the acting chairman of the party considers senior leaders as ornaments. He gave priority to the views of senior leaders on policy-making.
“BNP is a democratic party. Therefore, Tarique Rahman takes every decision in this party democratically and after discussing with everyone in the policy-making meeting.
BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy told Dhaka Times that it is difficult to realize the demands through a systematic movement. In that case, along with the movement, some strategies have to be adopted. The people gave a befitting reply to the state machinery and the aggressive administration by boycotting the one-sided vote.
He said BNP has survived as the largest democratic political party in the country even after so much jail-repression and torture due to the leadership of Tarique Rahman. Democracy will be restored in the country under the leadership of Tarique Rahman.
BNP Vice Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu told Dhaka Times that Awami League has fallen into misery through the 12th national election and upazila elections. And the decision to boycott the election will lead BNP to the next success. And it will be proved that BNP has survived as a democratic party and will remain so. Through the boycott of the election, Tarique Rahman’s acceptance as a leader of the people has increased more at home and abroad.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told Dhaka Times that people have responded to the call to boycott the election. The people also realized that the decision of the BNP acting chairman was right.
BNP’s expatriates’ welfare affairs secretary and Chandpur district president Sheikh Farid Ahmed Manik told Dhaka Times that BNP’s decision not to participate in the election is the decision of the people. Just as Khaleda Zia can understand the pulse of the people, the acting chairman can also understand it.