Dhaka, Nov 20 (bdnews24.com)– Awami League rebel Amanur Rahman Khan Rana, who won the Tangail-3 (Ghatail) by-polls violating party's decision, met party chief Sheikh Hasina at her office in Parliament on Tuesday night.
Some of the local Awami League leaders accompanied Rana during the meeting.
Rana, who was expelled from the party for running the election going against the party's decision, bagged more than twice the number of votes Awami League candidate Shahidul Islam Lebu secured on Nov 18.
An Awami League leader of the Ghatail upazila unit, seeking anonymity, told bdnews24.com that entering the Prime Minister's room, Rana touched her feet.
"The Prime Minister was sombre. As Rana wanted to have a photo with her, she said, 'Take oath first and then..."
Rana, the nephew of former lawmaker of Tangail-3 parliamentary constituency Shamsur Rahman Khan Shahjahan, also brought a boat–shaped floral wreath as a present for the party chief.
As he requested Hasina to receive it, the local Awami League leader quoted Hasina as saying: "You have come to present boat after sinking the boat." Boat is the Awami League's electoral logo.
"As Ghatail Upazila Chairman Nazrul Islam Khan requested her to receive the wreath, she said "You had told us not to give him (Rana) nomination and now you're telling me to receive wreath from him?"
Later, Hasina asked Rana to work in coordination with all, the Ghatail leader added.
The central Awami League leaders had also announced AKM Shamim Osman as party's candidate in the mayoral election to Narayanganj City Corporation. Selina Hayat Ivy, who failed to secure party ticket, won the mayoral polls defeating Osman by a huge margin.
Ivy had also met the Prime Minister after winning the election.
After the meeting, Rana's father Ataur Rahman Khan told bdnews24.com that Rana showed respect to the Prime Minister by touching her feet.
"I requested the party leader to give him her blessings."
Citing the Prime Minister, Khan said that the party chief did not exert her influence on anyone since she wanted a peaceful election.
"I could stop him (Rana from contesting the election). But I didn't do that because I wanted election," Khan further quoted Hasina as saying.
Asked whether Hasina said anything about Rana's expulsion from the party, Rahman said: "What expulsion? The leader prayed for him. We're the people in favour of the 'boat'. She asked him to work with all."
AL Presidium Member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim had announced Rana's expulsion from the party at an election meeting in favour of Shahidul Islam Lebu at Ghatail High School ground on Nov 16.
bdnews24.com/mhc/skb/bd/2119h
