Dhaka's chance at OIC may sink on SQ Chy's nomination, BNP leaders feel

Senior leaders in the government feels that Bangladesh has a good chance of winning the post, but the nomination of a controversial figure may spoil it.

Most policymakers of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party are in favour of withdrawing him from the race to prevent 'serious damage' to the country's image.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, a BNP policymaker expressed despair over the nomination of a controversial person, who is accused of war crimes during the Liberation War.

"Is there no internationally reputed person here for the post?" the ruling party leader wondered with a ring of frustration in his voice.

He said there was a bright prospect for Bangladesh this time, but the nomination of a 'controversial person' like Chowdhury would slim down the chance.

The BNP leaders think the nomination of such a 'highly controversial person with a dark anti-independence past' for a prestigious office is a wrong decision and it should be reconsidered before the situation spins out of control.

They said Chowdhury was chosen from a list that also included former chief adviser to the caretaker government Latifur Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Reaz Rahman and former minister TH Khan.

"Chowdhury is not only controversial within the BNP, but also in Bangladesh. His role during the War of Liberation is highly questionable and he never publicly accepted the events of 1971 of which the late president Ziaur Rahman was a hero," said a prominent BNP leader.

"He never hesitates to claim himself an anti-liberation element and he has been frequently heard of claiming himself a 'Rajakar'," he added.

Another top leader expressed surprise over the party chief's selection as Chowdhury hurled abuses against her and her elder son Tareq Rahman ahead of the last general elections.

In the wake of his use of invectives, the BNP standing committee at an emergency meeting unanimously expelled him from the party on May 10, 2001.

Chowdhury's recent remarks about the women and culture of Bangladesh have further made him controversial.

He was closely associated with military dictator H M Ershad and was a cabinet member of the regime at the time when hundreds of democracy-loving people sacrificed their lives to topple it.

The nomination also rankles with senior BNP leaders who fear that his election to the post will give heart to religious extremists and anti-liberation forces within the party.

The BNP leaders fear that after installation in the high office Chowdhury may easily embarrass the country and the people by his characteristic reckless comments.