Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) which wants to gradually turn its anti-government campaign into a fierce oust-regime one appears to receive a severe blow as infighting in her party-led alliance keeps on simmering over various crucial issues, reports UNB.
The issues that have made the small partners of the 20-party alliance aggrieved include BNP's neglecting attitude towards the small partners, its arbitrary decisions in working out action strategies and programmes, lack of coordination, BNP's failure in its previous anti-government movement and frustration over the slow pace in the ongoing movement.
Amid the growing displeasure among its Islamic parties over the inclusion of a faction of leftist party, Samyabadi Dal, in the alliance, BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman's recent comment that political party should not be based on religion added fuel to their discontent.
Several leaders of the component in the BNP-led alliance said the government has already contacted them in a bid to take them out of the opposition camp and bring them into its own fold with 'lucrative offers'.
A number of leaders in the 20-party alliance said they are fed-up with the way BNP is handling the anti-government movement now.
BNP, however, claims the government is out there in its efforts to create a rift among the top alliance leaders so that the opposition cannot remain united to wage a tougher anti-government movement.
When contacted, BNP acting BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir who is also the coordinator of the 20-party alliance claimed there is no division or misunderstanding among their partners.
"The government has long been trying to split our alliance. They could confuse Sheikh Shawkat Hossain Nilu, but not his party. We believe the ruling party won't be able to misguide our any other alliance partners. We're in good terms," he said.
Recognising that there is some sort of displeasure among some 20-party alliance leaders, Islamic Party chairman Abdul Mobin said all the partners should be treated with equal importance to keep the coalition meaningful. "As we're in the same boat, BNP shouldn't neglect any of its partners," he said disapproving Tarique's remark that political party should not be based on religion."
Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) chairman Abdul Latif Nezami said Tarique's comment is not right as people here are religious minded and they have respect for Islamic parties.
Liberal Democratic Party joint secretary general Shahadat Hossain Selim said BNP should come out of its hegemony and try to keep up the spirit of the small partners.
BNP standing committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbur Rahman said they have very good relations with their coalition partners and it will remain intact thwarting all plots.
