BNP allies want a place in govt

Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman held his first formal meeting with leaders of the parties allied in the joint anti-government movement on Monday evening, five months after the government was formed.

The nearly hour-and-a-half meeting was held at the state guest house Jamuna and covered government affairs, coordination with allies, future political programmes, and the implementation of promises made during the movement.

Following the discussion, the prime minister hosted a dinner in honour of the allied party leaders.

According to BNP sources, the meeting was arranged to seek the opinions and advice of allies on running the government and to further consolidate the long-standing political alliance.

The gathering carried added significance given the discontent that had built up among several allied parties after BNP, despite pledging to form a “national government” before the election, included only three leaders from three allied parties in the government.

BNP’s political posture within the alliance also came up for discussion.

One leader present said allied parties had not been consulted on a number of significant decisions, including the selection of MPs for reserved women’s seats and the appointment of administrators to local government bodies.

This, the leader said, had created a perception that BNP was pursuing a “go-it-alone” approach, fuelling growing distance and uncertainty among its partners.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Local Government Minister and BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir called it a significant political event coming five months after the government’s formation.

He said the meeting had an emotional undertone, shaped by memories of 15 to 16 years of struggle, imprisonment, court cases, enforced disappearances and killings.

He added that the allied leaders had expressed positive views on the government’s work and agreed to continue working together going forward.

Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna, speaking to reporters after the meeting at Jamuna on Monday night, said he sensed that one purpose of the meeting was for the prime minister to ensure that partners from the joint movement did not drift away.

“The prime minister’s attitude here was that, since he is in power, those who are not in power, or who are on the margins—the people close to him—should not be allowed to drift away,” Manna said.

Asked about the substance of the discussion, Manna said the formal proceedings had gone well, but there was no set agenda. “Some gave speeches, some expressed an interest in becoming part of the government. They said things like, ‘we want to be partners in power,'” he said.