Shawkat Ali attacks BNP's alliance with Jamaat, quits party post

Sumon Mahmood
Senior Political Correspondent

Dhaka, Jan 29 (bdnews24.com) – Former BNP minister Mir Shawkat Ali, a vice president of the party, Sunday handed in resignation to the BNP chairperson, a highly-placed source said.

"No comment," was how the former lieutenant general evaded a direct answer when asked by bdnews24.com about resignation.

In an exclusive interview to bdnews24.com, the former high commissioner to the UK however spoke out about the way the party treated him.

"If the party doesn't need me, I don't think it is right to cling to a post. Maybe another person can contribute more than I did," said Shawkat Ali, a 1971 Sector Commander who served as a minister for food and labour and manpower in the 1991-96 BNP administration.

In the interview, the freedom fighter was scathing in his criticism of the BNP's alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami.

"It hurts my conscience when I have to sit with Razakaar and al-Badrs at the same table. It reminds me of the days in 1971 when boys fought under my command and laid down their lives," said Ali, who was in charge of Sector-5 (Northern Sylhet region) during the bloody war of liberation.

"I feel helpless ... I am party vice president but I have nothing to do, no responsibility. I don't think it is right to cling to the post in such a way."

Ali said he thinks the party lost its founder Ziaur Rahman's ideology.

Why did the party not nominate you for election? If you were elected an MP, you would have scope to work.

"That's not true." He said BNP chief Khaleda Zia called him and wanted to nominate him. "But I regretted as I would have to sit at the same table with war criminals."

"I accepted my party's alliance with them on political grounds. Maybe it is the party's strategy."

Do you think the country did well in the last five years?

"I wouldn't say it was very good."

"There were failures, there were successes as well. Economic growth has increased. Progress was made in different areas such as education, health and local government," he said.

"Living standards have improved. There was a broader success in controlling terrorism."

"The country suffered seriously from widespread corruption. The country's image abroad has been tarnished for different reasons.

"I would say the BNP government was better and more efficient in 1991 than the last."

How do you evaluate opposition activities?

"The continuous absence of the main opposition in parliament hampered the functioning of democracy. The opposition did not always cooperate with the government. I think the opposition was adamant, so was the ruling BNP."

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