Sylhet BNP rift comes to light after local leaders boycott president's event

Internal tensions within the Sylhet Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have surfaced during President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's visit to the city, with several senior party leaders boycotting a civic reception hosted by Sylhet City Corporation (SCC).

The metropolitan BNP decided to boycott the reception, citing the SCC administrator's unilateral decision-making and failure to properly involve party leaders in organising the event.

However, several BNP sources said the dispute also reflected tensions over the party's nomination for the next Sylhet City Corporation election.

Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury, president of Sylhet district BNP, was appointed SCC administrator on 22 February, a move that reportedly upset several metropolitan BNP leaders as the city corporation was placed under the district unit chief.

The rift deepened after Qayyum expressed interest in contesting the next city corporation election as a mayoral candidate, according to party sources.

The civic reception for Fakhrul was held at Nagar Bhaban on Tuesday (15 September), with Qayyum in the chair. Several senior leaders stayed away from the event.

Those who did not attend included BNP Chairperson's Adviser Enamul Haque Chowdhury, BNP Executive Committee member Hadiya Chowdhury Munni, Joint Organising Secretary and Sylhet WASA Chairman Miftah Siddiqui, metropolitan BNP President Nasim Hossain, Sylhet District Council Administrator Abul Kaher Chowdhury Shamim, Sylhet Development Authority Chairman Rezaul Hasan Koyes Lodi, and metropolitan BNP General Secretary Emdad Hossain Chowdhury.

At least four of the leaders who boycotted the reception are reportedly interested in securing the BNP nomination for mayor in the next city corporation election.

A metropolitan BNP leader said competition among district and metropolitan unit leaders for the party's mayoral nomination was one reason some leaders stayed away from the SCC-hosted reception.

Qayyum is also interested in contesting the mayoral election, while Labour and Expatriates' Welfare Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, who previously contested on a BNP ticket, may not be in the race this time. Ariful served as mayor twice during the Awami League government.

BNP leaders cite exclusion, unilateral decisions

Sylhet metropolitan BNP General Secretary Emdad Hossain Chowdhury said the SCC administrator arranged the reception without forming a civic committee as discussed at coordination meetings.

"He arbitrarily organised the reception and we were humiliated in various ways," he said.

He also alleged that BNP leaders faced restrictions during Fakhrul's visit to the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA), as vehicles carrying party leaders were not given passes to enter the shrine area.

Sylhet Development Authority Chairman and former acting metropolitan BNP president Rezaul Hasan Koyes Lodi said many leaders and activists who faced persecution, imprisonment and physical injuries during the BNP's 15-year movement were not invited to the reception.

"As someone who stood beside these leaders and activists during difficult times, I considered it my responsibility. That is why my conscience prevented me from attending the reception," he said.

Metropolitan BNP President Nasim Hossain said several coordination meetings had decided to form a civic committee for the reception.

"But the SCC administrator did not form the committee and instead arranged the reception at the city corporation premises unilaterally," he said, alleging that the administrator deliberately excluded metropolitan BNP leaders from the arrangements.

Nasim said Qayyum had never been involved in metropolitan BNP politics and was therefore unfamiliar with many city-based leaders and activists.

Miftah Siddiqui said he skipped the reception because many BNP leaders were not properly recognised in the arrangements.

The four leaders are interested in contesting the next city corporation election on a BNP ticket. However, they declined to say whether the mayoral race influenced their decision to boycott the reception.

Qayyum rejects political angle

SCC Administrator Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury said he was unaware of any boycott.

"I am not aware that anyone boycotted the president's reception. We invited around 1,200 people, and almost all attended. Two or four people may have been absent for various reasons," he said.

Qayyum said President Fakhrul was not representing any political party at the event.

"The president is everyone's president and the head of state. If someone does not attend his reception, that is their matter," he said.