BNP now leads 20-party coalition

The BNP has announced the inclusion of a breakaway faction of Samyabadi Dal led by Dilip Barua in its alliance. With this newest partner, the coalition now has become the 20-party alliance. Leaders of Samyabadi Dal’s breakaway faction led by its acting General Secretary Sayeed Ahmed saw BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia at her political office in Gulshan on Saturday. Greeting the new coalition member, Khaleda said, ‘With you joining us, the alliance will strengthen further. I hope in future this alliance will be bigger.’ Leaders of Samyabadi Dal’s breakaway faction left the party when its leader, Dilip Barua, accepted to be a minister in Sheikh Hasina’s previous cabinet. On June 3, a five-strong delegation of the faction led by Sayeed Ahmed, met Khaleda and expressed their willingness to join the alliance. The following day, BNP announced its decision to take the party in the fold, according to bdnews24.com.