Magura AL feud rolls into court
Dr. MS Akbar
Intra-party feud in Magura Awami League intensified yesterday as rival party men in Sreepur upazila unit sued seven leaders of the district committee including its president Altaf Hossain and former lawmaker and district unit general secretary Dr. MS Akbar.
Sreepur upazila AL president Akbar Hossain Mian and its executive committee member Molla Nabuot Ali jointly filed the case with Assistant Judge's Court (Magura Sadar) terming the existing seven-member district committee illegal and prayed for an injunction on functioning of the 'so-called' committee.
In the case the plaintiffs alleged that the committee members resorted to 'swindling' and 'cheating' in forming it and prayed for declaring it 'illegal' as it defied party constitution.
During submission in favour of the plaintiffs, advocate Snkar Das sought injunction on functioning of the 'so-called' committee, saying it is illegal and not in conformity with the party constitution.
Assistant Judge Sultana Razia however issued show cause notices on seven leaders including former AL lawmaker Dr. Akbar and district AL president Altaf Hossain with a directive to submit documents within seven days to prove its legality in leading the party in the district.
The then Awami League general secretary Abdul Jalil at a council meeting on April 4, 2005 announced an eight-member district committee with a directive to form a full-fledged committee within 90 days, party sources said.
However, they failed to form a full-fledged committee even after 31 months of the council. In the meantime, joint-secretary no.2 of the committee, Sreepur municipality chairman Abdul Gafur, quit the party alleging lack of discipline.
Internal feud in Sreepur AL increased recently over former lawmaker Dr. Akbabr's nomination from Magura-1 constituency (comprising Magura Sadar and Sreepur upazila) in the next general election. The rival factions are locked in mudslinging over the issue, party sources said.
One faction led by Sreepur upazila AL president Akbar Hossain Mian and its former general secretary Molla Nabuot Ali declared former lawmaker Dr. Akbar 'unwanted' at several meetings in the upazila, accusing him of having alleged link with Jamaat and BNP men. Leaders of the faction also vowed to resist him in the constituency.
The other faction led by Sreepur AL general secretary Nurul Hossain Molla at a press conference at Magura Press Club recently extended their support to former lawmaker Dr. Akbar. The press conference organised under the banner of Sreepur upazila AL was also attended by district AL president Md. Altaf Hossain.
After Nurul Hossain's press conference, aggrieved rival party at an extended meeting at Sreepur Girls School auditorium on October 31 removed Nurul Hossain Molla from the post of general secretary and made joint-secretary no.1 Rostam Ali Mondol acting secretary.
The internal conflict became public when rival party men at a press conference on October 17 at Sreepur upazila public library auditorium declared former lawmaker Dr. Akbar 'unwanted' in the upazila. Later, they also held a meeting at Dariapur bazaar on October 21 to oppose Akbar's nomination.
They held several meetings in different areas of the constituency declaring Dr. Akbar 'unwanted' and vowed to resist him in the constituency.
When asked, Akbar Hossain Mian said, “We have filed the case accusing leaders of the so-called district committee as we consider it illegal. We have also adopted a resolution to place it before our central leaders so that they do not nominate Dr Akbar again”.
Former lawmaker Dr. Akbar could not be reached as he is reportedly in Dhaka and his cell phone was found switched off.
Contacted, Altaf Hossain declined to make any comment. “I shall say regarding the matter later”.
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