National People’s Party (NPP) Chairman Sheikh Shawkat Hossain Nilu has alleged that they were never consulted before deciding on important matters, though they were a part of the BNP-led alliance before their expulsion.
Published : 18 Aug 2014, 10:05 PM
“The BNP and the Jamaat used to impose their decisions. They attached no importance to other coalition partners, leave alone consult them."
Nilu was expelled from the alliance for attending Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Iftar at Ganabhaban.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, too, was an invitee but she did not attend.
Two years back, Nilu had joined the BNP-led alliance when its strength was increased from four to 18 constituents.
At present, one faction of the NPP has stayed on with the alliance, but Nilu has walked out with another.
Monira Begum, member of the Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) Presidium, joined the NPP, led by Nilu, on Monday.
Nilu spoke to bdnews24.com on his experience of being in the BNP-led alliance at the end of a programme marking Monira Begum’s induction into his party.
He claimed the Jamaat-e-Islami often dictated terms to the BNP.
“The Jamaat had simply paid no heed to many of the BNP’s proposals before the Upazilla polls that elected 128 chairmen. Today, the Jamaat claims to be the second largest party in the country.”
He even hinted that the movement for holding the general election under the supervision a non-party government had failed because of the Jamaat.
“Where was BNP’s acting General Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Dec 29?
“His telephone call list would reveal the persons he had spoken to and dissuaded them from taking part in the political programmes announced by Khaleda Zia,” the former alliance member said.
He believes efforts are on to isolate Khaleda from the people..
He lamented that he was expelled from the BNP-led alliance for having attended Hasina’s Iftar programme.
“The prime minister and the BNP chairperson exchange Eid greetings as a part of political courtesy. So, why are we expelled for attending the prime minister’s Iftar? No one ever told us not to.”
Nilu said he would carry on his movement against the Awami League-led government even though he was now out of the BNP fold.
Although the BNP calls the government ‘illegal’, the party’s former ally is at best willing to describe the elected regime as being ‘immoral’.
When asked about the war crimes trials, he said those who had been involved in activities against humanity during 1971 should be tried.
“But it would be indeed sad if the trials are turned into a farce.”
Nilu even spoke in favour of Abdul Quader Molla, the Jamaat leader who was hanged in December last year for 1971 war crimes.
He recalled that both Molla and he were involved in student politics at Dhaka University.
“Can it be believed that an 18-year-old was involved in acts against humanity in the whole of the Mirpur region and every one took it lying down?” he asked.
He dismissed such notions as ‘pro- and anti-Independence’ as political jargons that are used to inflict blows on one’s adversaries.