Reformists' house of cards crumbling fast

Delwar and Hannan Shah at loggerheads over the unity issue

by Ahmed Sarder

With the government-backed reformists' house of cards crumbling fast, fresh unity move by the reformists is not getting off the ground as Khaleda Zia-appointed Secretary General Khandoker Delwar Hossain asked Hannan Shah not to move on the unity agenda. Delwar also started avoiding Hannan Shah. 

 Meanwhile, the trouble-torn BNP has once again become embroiled in complexities as the loyalist faction itself has been cleaved into two groups again over the issue of unity. Following Hannan Shah's unilateral meeting with expelled BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan without consulting party high ups, Khandoker Delwar Hossain and his followers has decided to avoid Hannan Shah in case of taking party's policy-level decision. Hannan Shah was also not present in the last executive meeting of the party held on Tuesday night at Delwar’s Nam Bhaban, whereas pro-Hannan BNP joint Secretary General Goyeshwar Chandra Roy came out of the meeting after an altercation with the party Secretary General over the unity issue.    

The loyalist leaders and workers have long been questioning Hannan Shah's proactive role in case of taking the reformist back into the party. Doubt has further been fuelled after Hannan-Mannan meeting as Hannan Shah held the clandestine meeting at a time when the organizational strength of the reformists has started waning following Saifur Rahman's confessional statement. "What is the point of holding meeting with Mannan Bhuiyan especially when the reformists are losing off the ground. Moreover, nobody can take decision regarding the fate of Mannan Bhuiyan as it is completely a matter of the party Chairperson," an ex-MP of pro-Delwar camp, who wanted not to be quoted, told this correspondent. "The doubt about Hannan Shah's motive was growing from when he spoke of army's presence in the government-sponsored dialogue and with his meeting with Mannan Bhuiyan, it has now been proved that in whose favour Hannan Shah is working," the ex-MP said, adding, "from now onwards, the party will avoid Hannan Shah strategically in any party affairs, as we cannot forbid him directly due to some unavoidable reasons."

According to sources, BNP Chairperson's Adviser Brig (retd) ASM Hannan Shah and acting Secretary General of the reformist splinter Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed were supposed to announce a joint declaration about the party unity from Hannan Shah's residence on Monday. However, it could not be held due to the strong opposition from Khandoker Delwar Hossain.

Hannan Shah requested BNP's Secretaries General Nazrul Islam Khan, Selima Rahman and Goyeshwar Chandra Roy to be present at his New DOHS residence at 4.00pm Monday from where he was expected to announce the unity formula. But when the party Secretary General communicated with Khandoker Delwar Hossain, the latter forbid them to go Hannan Shah's residence. Against this backdrop, Hannan Shah phoned Major (retd) Hafiz not to come to his home and said, "the modalities of unity move will be fixed later, not today (Monday)."

Earlier on Sunday night, Khandoker Delwar phoned Hannan Shah and they exchanged hard words as the BNP Secretary General was aggrieved with Hannan Shah following his clandestine meeting with Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan without taking party's approval.

Sources said, during their altercation, Hannan Shah told Delwar that he got the instruction from the detained party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia to go with unity move, whereas Delwar termed his claim baseless. Sources said, “Hannan Shah and Goyeshwar will bring unity in the party even by putting pressure on Khandoker Delwar Hossain.”

Major (retd) Hafiz, however, on Monday at a press conference vowed to bring unity in the party by May 30, the day the party's founder Zaiur Rahman's anniversary of death will be observed.

Asked if his post of acting Secretary General has been ineffective following Saifur's remark that the post of acting Chairperson has been anfractuous unfructuous with four standing committee members' affidavit with the High Court, Hafiz parried the question, "I am doubtful whether he (Saifur Rahman) actually said so."

In reply to a question, Hafiz reiterated that he might quit the post for the sake of the party unity. The reformists have also formed a five-member committee headed by Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman to expedite the unity move. L G (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, who was vested with responsibility of bringing unity, has started holding series of meetings with the leaders of pro-Hannan camp.

Sources in the reformists said, "The reformists are ready to quit their respective posts canceling the proceedings of the much-debated 29 October standing committee meeting to merge with the mainstream. Even they are agreed to merge with the mainstream keeping the issue of Mannan Bhuiyan and Ashraf Hossain pending.”

“Most of the leaders of both camp are in favour of unity ranging from Nazrul Islam Khan, Selima Rahman to Hannan Shah, but it was not being taken place only due to the obduracy of Khandoker Delwar Hossain and Rizvi Ahmed,” a senior reformist leader claimed.   

Talking to this correspondent, a senior leader close to Delwar Hossain said, "We do not bother about party unity. We feel the party is united under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia. Our stand on some of the derailed leaders is very clear. Many of them are still in different key posts of the party. They can contribute to the party from their respective posts."