'Non-resident' leaders blamed for a 'weak' BNP in Magura
Troubled by internal conflict for years, Magura BNP finds it hard to strengthen organisational activities as several of its top ranking leaders reside outside the district, party insiders said.
Sources said, president of district BNP committee Kabir Murad, senior vice-president Newaz Halima Arly, and vice-presidents Khan Monowar Hossain, Ahsan Habib Kishore and Mian Zahidul Islam reside in Dhaka while the president of Magura municipality unit is a businessman Rangpur district town.
Executive members of the committee Dr Mahbubul Haque Siddiquee and advocate Murad Kabir also stay in Dhaka.
District BNP Vice-president Khan Monowar Hossain is the general manager of Incepta Pharmaceuticals Ltd while Senior Vice-president Newaz Halima Arly is a former official of Dhaka Bank and both of them live in Dhaka, local party men said.
The 'non-resident' leaders, however, are seen in Magura during the central party leaders' visit there, they added.
Mohammad Nazimuddin, senior vice-president of the committee comprising the 'rebel group' of district BNP, said, "About three years ago, the committee headed by Kabir Murad was formed comprising people loyal to him. A few of them, although hailing from Magura, reside in Dhaka round the year."
Contacted, Kabir Murad, also chairman of Zia Parishad, refuted the allegations made by Nazimuddin and said, "Although I have to stay in Dhaka for various purposes, I frequently visit Magura. I stay in Magura at least 20 days of a month while president of our municipality unit Ayub Hossain stays in Magura at least 15 days a month."
Tanvir Rahman Uzzal, student affairs secretary of the district BNP committee, said, "Now a days, it is not essential for a leader to stay in Magura for running party activities in the district as technology has brought many things within the reach of people."
Requesting anonymity, a leader of the district BNP committee said, "Keeping non-resident leaders in the committee to run party activities in Magura, neglecting the dedicated ones, seems a farce to us."
Longstanding internal feud in the district BNP surfaced after formation of the unit's convening committee with Kabir Murad as convener in 2009. The 'rebel' group led by advocate Mokaddes Hossain and Iqbal Akhter Khan refused to accept the convening committee.
On November 25, 2009, Kabir Murad group held a council and formed a committee of the district unit with Murad as president and Ali Ahmed Biswas as general secretary.
The other faction from a separate council the same day declared Mokaddes president and Iqbal general secretary of the district BNP.
The central committee of BNP approved the district committee headed by Murad and Ali on December 2 the same year.
Consequently, the internal conflict in Magura BNP deepened further.
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