Nitai not allowed to attend BNP Iftar party
Intra-party rift in Magura BNP widened again as rival party men did not allow former minister and central leader Nitai Roy Chowdhury to attend an Iftar Mahfil.
The Iftar Mahfil was arranged by the district unit of Ayeenjibi Forum, lawyers' front of BNP, at its office on Thursday. Its secretary advocate Moyenuddin, a close associate of Nitai, invited him to the party but rival party men loyal t former lawmaker Quazi Salimul Huq Kamal alias Quazi Kamal resisted him from attending it. Nitai was declared 'unwanted' in Magura by the rivals in 2006.
Party sources said Nitai, joint-convener of district BNP, had reached the residence of advocate Moyenuddin in Magura town with a view to attend the party but did not dare to go to the venue. As Nitai was not allowed, Moyenuddin also boycotted the programmee.
When contacted, Ayeenjibi Forum Mokaddes Hossain said, “To avert untoward situation we made phone call to Nitai Roy not to attend the function”.
Party sources said, Nitai who joined BNP from Jatiyo Party (Ershad) before 2001 election seen with BNP reformists and he attended several meetings at Mannan Bhuyan's residence in Dhaka. After 1/11, Nitai was not seen in Magura.
During last month's meeting with the newly appointed party secretary Khondokar Delwar Hossain, several local leaders demanded his expulsion from the party, sources said.
“But dedicated party men will never allow him here because after the 1/11 he joined meetings of Progressive Democratic Party (PDP) and BNP's reformist group”, joint-convener of district BNP Nazimuddin Ahmed said.
Another joint-convener Akter Hossain echoed the same sentiment and claimed that apart from some 'conspirators' in the party, nobody of BNP or its front organisations support Nitai Roy.
Despite repeated attempts, Nitai Roy could not be contacted over cell phone. However, one of his supporters seeking anonymity said Thursday's incident was unfortunate. “When our chairperson is trying to reunite the party, some self-seeking people are dividing the organisation as a part of their conspiracy to weaken it”, he said.
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