Trinomool BNP: A mix of new faces and old loyalists
While many major political parties are not running in the upcoming elections, several smaller and new ones have surprisingly fielded a lot of candidates. We take a look at some of these parties. This is the fifth in a series to understand who they are, the size and strength of their organisation and what they hope to achieve
Meherba Plaza in Purana Paltan is famous for having numerous law chambers. Many prominent lawyers of Dhaka city have their offices in this 16-storey building.
The late Barrister Nazmul Huda's chamber is also here. Its cream-coloured walls are decorated with some framed photographs of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
In one of the photos, he is talking to her. In another, he is shaking hands with Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen and in another, he is standing with Nobel Laureate, Muhammad Yunus.
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Nazmul Huda's law chamber is the central party office of the Trinomool Bangladesh National Party (TBNP), a breakaway from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and a political party that recently got the Election Commission's registration.
It is also the office of the Bangladesh Jatiyo Jote (BNA) and Bangladesh Society for the Enforcement of Human Rights.
This year on 19 September, Trinomool BNP held the party's first council and announced a 27-member partial committee, electing Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury and Taimur Alam Khandkar as the chairman and secretary-general and founder Nazmul Huda's daughter Antara Selima Huda as the executive chairman.
On 19 December afternoon, the law chamber cum party office was quiet. Other than the office staff Rubel and Kamrul, there was a young party member who was sitting on a sofa and discussing various election issues with another person.
The latter was Md Masud, a private teacher by profession. He was here to understand how to open a political party and seemed quite intrigued by the idea.
Later, Ashraf Ali Hawlader entered the room. He is by profession a journalist and working as a staff correspondent for a newspaper in Dhaka.
He is also one of the members of Trinomool BNP who bought a nomination paper from the party for Tk5,000 for contesting in the constituency Dhaka-8.
However, he withdrew his candidacy when the party gave the nomination to MA Yusuf.
The party candidates
Rukshana Amin Shurma, joint secretary general of the party said that a total of 142 candidates are contesting in the national elections.
According to her, people from different political spectrums have come under the banner of Trinomool BNP. However, some candidates informed us that most of the other candidates were involved with BNP in the past. But there are fresh faces as well as old loyalists.
The party chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury is contesting in the Sylhet-6 constituency while Taimur Alam Khandkar, the party's secretary-general, is contesting in the constituency Narayanganj-5.
Jalil Sarkar, a land trader by profession, is contesting in the constituency Narshingdi-1. He is campaigning in his area and going from door to door, seeking people's votes.
He said that he did not know anyone from the party but when he heard they were selling nomination papers, he bought one and they nominated him for the elections. "Whatever happens, I will be in the field until the end of the elections and if something unwanted happens, I will face it," said Jalil.
He said that he has never been involved with any political party but he took part in two Narshingdi Parishad elections in the past as an independent candidate.
Shajahan Siraj is contesting in the constituency Barishal-2. He is continuing his election campaign in full swing.
An old loyalist of the BNP, the last political position he held was that of Dhaka Mahanagar Uttar central committee member. Before that, he was a member of Jubo Dol's central committee. "If people can cast their vote with safety and security, I am hopeful of winning the elections," he said.
He said that he has long been doing politics as a loyalist and a personal officer of Nazmul Huda. He had a good relationship with him when BNP's founder Ziaur Rahman was in power.
"When he [Nazmul Huda] quit BNP in 2014, I also quit BNP," he said. However, BNP leader Amanullah Aman requested him to stay.
"But I realised that I did not have any value in BNP, so I decided to join Trinomool. You can call it [Trinomool BNP] a part of BNP," said Shajahan Siraj, adding, "We are demanding the release of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia during our different political programmes."
When asked why Trinomool BNP is also called the King's Party, he said that now, BNP has actually become the 'King's Party.' King's Party means Tarique Zia has the final say in everything."
Syeda Nurun Nahar has been contesting in the constituency Dhaka-7. She said that she was not actively involved in any political party before. However, she added that she is a social worker and always stands by the unprivileged. She is also a businessperson.
Declaration and party constitution
In the party declaration, Trinomool BNP said that they are a new national political party, which will establish good governance through healthy political practices.
"The first and foremost pledge of the party is to eliminate the existing political instability and strengthen and save Bangladesh's independence and sovereignty," reads the declaration.
Taimur Alam Khandkar alleged that ruling party activists are tearing down their posters. They complained to the law enforcement agents but they did not respond.
About the possibility of winning, he said that it all depends on the voters. He said that most of the political parties are contesting in the elections with the ruling party's blessings.
