Nahid alleges BNP behind AL office reopenings
Staff Reporter :
Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and opposition chief whip in parliament, on Thursday alleged that the reopening of offices belonging to the Awami League in different parts of the country had taken place with the “green signal” of the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Speaking at a press conference at the NCP’s temporary central office in Banglamotor, Dhaka, Nahid claimed that without the BNP’s tacit approval, the Awami League — whose political activities remain officially banned — “would not have had the opportunity or courage” to reopen its offices following the 13th National Parliamentary Election.
“There is a certain kind of collusion between India, Awami League and BNP in this election,” Nahid alleged, without offering documentary evidence.
He warned that any attempt to rehabilitate Awami League politics would be “strongly resisted.”
The NCP convened the press conference to present its assessment of the prevailing political situation and to review the newly formed cabinet led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Demanding accountability from the relevant administrative authorities, Nahid said district administrations must immediately close any reopened Awami League offices.
“If they fail to administratively close those offices immediately, we will call for political resistance. For this, we will also hold the government accountable for rehabilitating the fascists,” he said.
He also questioned the role of certain media outlets in widely publicising reports of Awami League offices reopening, and accused the new government of showing early signs of interference in media freedom.
Referring to two incidents involving the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) and private broadcaster Ekattor TV, Nahid said, “We don’t want any partisan media.
But we are already seeing that tendency. We hope that from this moment it will stop, and the media will work independently.”
On institutional matters, Nahid called on the BNP to promptly take oath as members of the Constitution Reform Council and convene the first sessions of both the National Parliament and the Reform Council.
He argued that delaying the oath under “false interpretations and excuses” amounted to disregard for the public mandate expressed in the referendum.
“Without the Reform Council, this national parliament holds no value,” he said, urging that both bodies be activated to make the legislature effective.
Nahid further demanded concrete measures to ensure the rule of law, halt what he described as political appointments in the police, safeguard women’s safety in public spaces, curb mob violence, and hold accountable those involved in demolishing shrines during the interim government period.
He also called for an impartial investigation into a rape allegation in Hatia, Noakhali, and urged swift government action to keep essential commodity prices within reach of low- and middle-income households during the holy month of Ramadan.
‘Continuation of the old setup’
Turning to the 50-member cabinet formed by the BNP government, Nahid said he saw “no novelty” in its composition.
“We never felt that this cabinet aligns with the aspirations for change. Instead, it seems to be a continuation of the old setup,” he said.
According to him, the cabinet lacks regional balance and adequate representation of women, religious minorities and ethnic communities.
“Overall, it is neither a representative nor an inclusive cabinet.” Nahid noted that the average age of cabinet members is around 60 years.
While acknowledging that some younger individuals had been included, he argued that the composition does not reflect a youthful Bangladesh.
He also described as “alarming” the fact that approximately 62 per cent of ministers and state ministers are businessmen.
“Being a businessman is not a crime,” he said, “but the cabinet should include politicians and people from various professions, which hasn’t happened.”
Without naming individuals, he alleged that several cabinet members face accusations related to financial opacity, loan default or criminal cases.
He claimed that three key ministries with large budgets had been entrusted to a real estate businessman who is also accused in a murder case.
“The prime minister speaks about a stand against corruption. But people want to know when members of his own cabinet and parliamentary party will repay their debts,” Nahid said, accusing the BNP of projecting an image of simplicity while appointing loan defaulters and controversial figures to powerful positions.
He also questioned the inclusion of interim government National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman in the BNP-led cabinet.
Referendum and tribunal
Responding to a question regarding a High Court writ challenging the referendum, Nahid said he expected the judiciary to uphold the popular mandate.
“If the referendum is canceled, then this parliamentary election will also be questioned. If the referendum is canceled, this government will not have legitimacy either,” he said.
He further urged that the structure of the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) should not be altered without specific allegations against individuals, though he supported strengthening the tribunal’s institutional capacity.
The press conference was conducted by NCP Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adeeb and attended by other party leaders, including joint conveners Monira Sharmin and Mahbub Alam, joint secretary Salehuddin Sifat, and National Youth Power convener Tariqul Islam.
The BNP has not yet issued a formal response to Nahid’s allegations.