AL MP Pankaj removed from party posts

Awami League lawmaker Pankaj Nath has been stripped of all his posts in the ruling party for "breaching discipline".

The AL conveyed the decision to the MP from Barishal-4 (Hijla-Mehendiganj) through a letter issued by AL Office Secretary Biplab Barua on September 11.

Copies of the letter have been sent to AL lawmaker and Barisal AL President Abul Hasanat Abdullah and General Secretary Talukder Md Yunus.

Contacted yesterday, Pankaj said he received the letter, but he would not elaborate on the matter.

The letter reads, "The Awami League Executive Council removes you from the position of member of the party's advisory council in Barisal for breaching party discipline …

"You are requested to submit a reply in writing to the central office within the next 15 days."

Talking to The Daily Star, Talukder said, "He [Pankaj] has been removed from all positions in the party for violating discipline.

"Law and order in the district was deteriorating because of him [Pankaj]. And the party has taken measures in this regard… I don't want to say anything further."

According to party sources, there have been frequent clashes in Barishal's Mehendiganj upazila because of conflicts between two AL factions.

The intra-party feuds led to four killings in the run-up to the last union parishad election in Pankaj's constituency in June.

Allegations have surfaced that he acted in favour of an independent candidate, instead of the party-backed candidate in the polls there.

The independent candidate won the UP election.

In the latest factional clash on August 28, six leaders and workers of Jubo League and Chhatra League were gravely injured. It was alleged that Pankaj's supporters were involved in the clash.

Most of the leaders and workers of Barishal AL took a stance against Pankaj following a series of intra-party clashes, according to sources in the local AL unit.

The district AL recently wrote to the party's central committee, asking it to remove Pankaj from all his party positions, added the sources.