More than six months after the BNP formed the government, a section of its partners say the party has yet to fulfil its pre-election promise to include allies in the government.
They allege that many of those who stood by the BNP during the simultaneous movement against the Awami League regime, went to jail, and faced repression and harassment have not been properly recognised.
They also believe that the BNP’s victory in over two-thirds of the seats has made it less dependent on its old political partners, a position they warn could hurt the party in the long run.
Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said the BNP appeared to have concluded that it could run the country without accommodating the parties that joined the simultaneous movement.
“We may not like this attitude, but they [BNP] seem to think this attitude is proper,” he told The Daily Star.
“Does giving ministerial or state minister posts mean it has become a national government? A national government means accommodating people wherever possible. That has not happened. It has not even come close to being a national government. It is a BNP cabinet,” he said.
Disagreement between the BNP and Nagorik Oikya grew over the nomination issue. Eventually, Manna contested the February 12 election without BNP support.
The BNP left 15 of the 300 parliamentary seats for its alliance leaders.
Of the 15 seats, Zonayed Saki, Andaleeve Rahman Partho, and Nurul Haque Nur won under their respective party symbols, while Shahadat Hossain Selim and Bobby Hajjaj won under the BNP’s sheaf of paddy symbol. Saki, Nur, and Hajjaj were made state ministers, while Partho was appointed a minister.
Saiful Haque, general secretary of Biplobi Workers Party, said there was no sign that the BNP’s pledges of a “national government” and “Rainbow Nation” were among the government’s priorities.
He said the party’s large parliamentary majority might have created “overconfidence” that it could manage alone. “But when you may be able to travel a short distance alone, you need allies and friends for a long journey.”
“If the BNP does not keep its own promises, people may lose trust in such parties and governments in the future.”
Saiful, who run in Dhaka-12 with BNP support under his party’s symbol, lost to the Jamaat-e-Islami candidate.
Talking to this correspondent, Jagpa President Khandaker Lutfor Rahman said they had not got the promised support and recognition.
“We waged movements together for a long time, went to jail, faced harassment, and could not even stay in our homes. So, those who were part of this long movement must be recognised.”
He, however, believes the government had time to accommodate its allies.
However, another leader Syed Ehsanul Huda, who dissolved Bangladesh Jatiya Dal before joining the BNP and contested the polls but was defeated, said there was “no reason to be disappointed so soon”.
“I have faith in my leader [BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman] that he will recognise everyone who deserves it.”
Fariduzzaman Farhad, chairman of the National People’s Party and coordinator of the Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, echoed similar frustration.
Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh was given four seats, the highest among the allies, but failed to win any.
Jamiat Secretary General Manjurul Islam Afendi said, “I see a lack of sincerity in keeping promises.”
