Rajshahi BNP men joining AL to 'avoid harassment'

Leaders and activists of BNP in Rajshahi keep joining the ruling Awami League to “avoid harassment” by law enforcers.

Mokhlesur Rahman, organising secretary of Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal, joined the AL on Thursday by handing over wreaths to State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam at a function held at Solua Degree College ground in Charghat.

More than 200 other BNP men and some supporters of Jamaat have also joined the AL there.

Rahman is an accused in three criminal cases including two cases filed for torching a polling centre at Solua Degree College on the eve of January 5 polls and attacking the polling centre the following day.

“Law will take its own course if he is an accused. He was welcomed to the party after all grassroots leaders gave their consent,” State Minister Shahriar Alam told The Daily Star.

In May, Habibur Rahman, a councillor for Ward-3 of Rajshahi City Corporation, joined the AL a couple of days after his release from jail in connection with several criminal cases.

A few senior BNP leaders and family members of some ward councillors said 22 out of total 30 male ward councillors of RCC support BNP and 16 of them are accused in Shiddhartha murder case.

“They are under pressure to join Awami League. Once they join the party, police will never harass them,” said wife of a councillor requesting anonymity.

Rajshahi city AL General Secretary Dablu Sarker claimed that they had no plan to include accused in criminal cases in the party.