‘Greater unity’ prime focus

Instead of making the 20-party alliance functional, the BNP plans to forge a "greater unity" among the opposition forces to realise the demand for the next national election under a non-partisan administration.

Insiders say the BNP has adopted a strategy not to make the 20-party combine effective, keeping in mind the local and international reservations about the Jamaat-e-Islami, a key component of the alliance.

But the controversial Islamist party officially remains an ally as the BNP high-ups have not yet decided to sever the ties.

BNP sources said the decision to make the alliance non-functional was taken at a meeting with Jamaat in August last year and both the parties agreed to keep it a secret.

The issue came to the fore following Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman's statement that the BNP does not have any intention to make the alliance active and that a non-functional alliance cannot continue year after year.

Nazrul Islam Khan, senior BNP leader and coordinator of the 20-party alliance, told The Daily Star yesterday, "We have discussed with the alliance partners and everyone agreed that we all will wage a movement simultaneously in the greater interest. We did not take any final decision on cutting ties with Jamaat."

The Jamaat ameer, too, had said they were in favour of waging a simultaneous movement in the national interest, mentioned Nazrul, also a standing committee member of the BNP.

About the alliance, he said neither BNP nor Jamaat announced that it was dissolved.

"Right now, our prime focus is on a greater unity among all opposition forces who will wage a movement simultaneously. The goal will be to oust the government and have a free and fair election held under a non-partisan interim government," he said.

As part of this strategy, the BNP has already held meetings with allies and parties outside the alliance, including Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rob), Nagorik Oikya, Biplabi Workers Party and Gonosamhati Andolon, and some other organisations.

Mahmudur Rahman Manna, the convener of Nagorik Oikya, said, "The BNP is talking about a greater unity and we are hopeful about this. We have discussed this with the BNP.

"A simultaneous movement of opposition forces seems a better idea than forming a new alliance. In this trying time, a simultaneous movement is badly needed."

About the BNP-Jamaat ties, the former student leader said, "It is true that the BNP-Jamaat relations are shaky right now. But even after that, all are talking about a simultaneous movement, which is good."

The BNP has been observing programmes across the country on its own and its leaders and activists are being attacked and even two of them have been killed during a protest.

"The BNP has the strength to wage a movement alone. So why should we rely on others? We have long been criticised for being with the Jamaat. The sooner we cut the ties, the better it would be for the party," said Shariful Islam, a Chhatra Dal activist of Bhaluka, Mymensingh.

BNP sources said the party faced huge criticism locally and internationally for keeping relations with Jamaat, condemned for assisting the Pakistan occupation forces in carrying out mass killing and rape during the 1971 Liberation War.

Several top Jamaat leaders were executed in the years since 2013 for war crimes, and the party also lost its registration, becoming ineligible to contest polls.

It, however, continues organisational activities under the name of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, renamed from Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh.

There has been internal pressure within the BNP to cut ties with the Jamaat. Even when it wanted to ally with other political parties, including the left, the latter raised questions about the BNP-Jamaat relations.

So, the party's top brass decided in principle that if Jamaat wants to cut ties with the BNP, they will welcome it but make no official announcement.

On Sunday night, the BNP standing committee, the highest policymaking body of the party, in a meeting discussed the Jamaat ameer's statement and many of its leaders expressed happiness, said a meeting insider.

"This statement [of Jamaat ameer] makes our position clear. When the simultaneous movement will start, the alliance will automatically dissolve," a BNP standing committee member told The Daily Star, wishing not to be named.

Since 2018, the 20-party alliance has not observed any programmes but the BNP went its own way, staging protests and holding a series of meetings with various political parties, except Jamaat.

"The alliance has long been inactive and it will not be active anymore," said another senior BNP leader, wishing not to be named.

Asked about Jamaat's position on the alliance yesterday, its Publicity Secretary Matiur Rahman Akand said the issue was discussed in the party meeting and "the ameer did not say we have left the alliance".

The BNP started to maintain distance with Jamaat when the international crimes tribunals began the war crimes prosecutions. The distance widened when BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was sent to jail in 2018 and Jamaat was not found by the BNP's side in protests.

The ties hit an all-time low when the BNP formed Jatiya Oikyafront before the last parliamentary election bypassing the 20-party combine, which angered many of the alliance partners.

"The Jamaat ameer has said everything. We are not observing any programme under the banner of the alliance," Iqbal Mahmud Tuku, a standing committee member, said, dodging the question of whether they have already cut ties with Jamaat.

"We are holding programmes on our own and everyone will do the same," he added.

Echoing his view, some other BNP leaders say the party is now more focused on unity among opposition forces, but they believe the Jamaat issue is an obstacle in any attempt to this end.

Ganasanghati Andolon Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki said there are some questions about the forms and strategy of that simultaneous movement as the BNP has not made things clear.

"My observation is that the BNP's walk-alone policy and cutting ties with Jamaat will be a relief for the left parties," said Saki, replying to a query.

Al Masud Hasanuzzaman, professor of government and politics department at Jahangirnagar University, said the BNP is waging a movement alone but it is yet to gain momentum.

"To wage a simultaneous and organised movement, proper leadership is required. Time will show how things unfold," he added.