Govt duties slow BNP’s organisational drive

The BNP’s organisational machinery has slowed markedly since returning to power, with senior leaders increasingly occupied by government responsibilities, affiliate bodies running on expired committees and grassroots activities losing momentum at a time when the party is preparing for local government elections.
Party insiders say many senior BNP leaders now serving as ministers or members of parliament have been unable to devote sufficient time to organisational work. 
At the same time, frustration has grown among leaders who failed to secure ministerial or parliamentary positions despite the party’s 17-year struggle to return to office.
The decline is reflected in the party’s day-to-day activities. Regular meetings of the National Standing Committee and post-meeting press briefings, once routine, have become infrequent. 
While the BNP’s Gulshan political office remains active as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman regularly visits it, the party’s central office at Nayapaltan has become noticeably quieter, with fewer leaders and activists in attendance.
The slowdown has become more conspicuous as other major political parties have stepped up their activities. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, now the main opposition in parliament, and its ally, the National Citizen Party (NCP), have announced separate 36-day nationwide programmes to mark the second anniversary of the July uprising of 2024.
The BNP, widely regarded as the principal politicalbeneficiary of the movement, has yet to announce any commemorative programme or organise discussions or seminars on the occasion.
The party has, however, observed programmes marking the 45th martyrdom anniversary of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman Bir Uttam, whom it describes as the proclaimer of Bangladesh’s independence and the pioneer of multi-party democracy.
Grassroots leaders say the lack of regular organisational programmes has left activists increasingly inactive. 
The BNP last held its national council in March 2016, while at least 10 associate and affiliate bodies have continued operating beyond their stipulated terms. 
Although the party constitution requires new committees every three years, the provision has remained largely unimplemented. 
The youth wing, Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, recently received a new committee while retaining its previous top leadership.
The party has also reshuffled its National Standing Committee by inducting new members, while several senior leaders have stepped aside because of age or health, disrupting leadership continuity from the grassroots to the centre, according to several local leaders who requested anonymity.
Party sources also said more than 100 BNP leaders, activists and supporters have been killed in internal feuds since the party assumed office, with most clashes linked to local supremacy battles, transport terminal control and extortion rackets.
A member of the party’s highest policymaking body, speaking anonymously, said organisational work had lost momentum as many grassroots leaders had become more focused on financial interests than party-building.
Meanwhile, Jamaat and the NCP have already nominated candidates ahead of the local government elections, expected in September or October, whereas the BNP has yet to announce its plans. 
Several BNP leaders in the Rajshahi region told the Daily Sun that the slow pace of organisational decisions was making it increasingly difficult to keep local activists engaged.
BNP Standing Committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain acknowledged the slowdown but described it as a natural consequence of the party returning to power.
“It is normal as the party came to state power securing an absolute majority in the 13th parliamentary election after a long period,” he said.
“Many of our leaders are involved in government responsibilities, while many others have become members of parliament, which has contributed to the slow pace in the party’s organisational activities.”
He said the BNP was preparing a major organisational overhaul at the central, affiliate and grassroots levels ahead of the local government elections to strengthen its electoral machinery.
Responding to criticism by NCP Convener Nahid Islam over the BNP’s failure to announce programmes marking the July uprising anniversary, Mosharraf said, “Criticism is a part of democratic politics and anyone has the right to criticise any political party. It is everyone’s democratic right.”
A BNP joint secretary general, speaking on condition of anonymity, warned that contesting local elections with a weakened organisational structure would pose serious challenges, as internal rivalries and the preoccupation of senior leaders with official duties continued to undermine party cohesion.
However, central office sources said the BNP had already reconstituted the Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal committee and would soon announce new committees for its remaining front and associate organisations to revitalise the party ahead of the local government polls.