Protest on, Tuku's effigy burnt

A faction of aggrieved BNP leaders and activists in Tangail continued their agitation in the district town, demanding cancellation of the recently formed district committee.

The BNP faction yesterday brought out a protest procession from Shaheed Smrity Pouro Udyan which paraded different streets before ending at Shaheed Minar premises in the town.

Demanding dissolution of the existing committee, the angry party men burnt effigy of Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal central unit General Secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku at the town's Nirala Intersection.

Terming the district committee 'incompetent' and 'agents of ruling party', speakers at the rally demanded immediate dissolution of the district committee for greater interest of the party.  

Among others, Hasanuzzamil Shahin, former vice-president of district unit BNP, Kazi Shafiqur Rahman Liton, its ex-joint secretary, Khandakar Ahmedul Haque Shatil, ex-president of district unit Jubo Dal, Rafiqul Islam Swapan, its ex-organising secretary, and Tariqul Islam Jhalak, former joint secretary of Chhatra Dal central unit, spoke on the occasion.

On May 26, BNP central committee formed Tangail district committee comprising Shamsul Alam Tofa and Farhad Iqbal as its president and general secretary respectively.

Couple of days after the formation of the committee, four leaders of the newly formed committee, including its two vice-presidents, a joint secretary and an organising secretary, resigned from their posts alleging the committee was formed through the influence of Jubo Dal leader Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, also younger brother of incumbent BNP district unit president Shamsul Alam Tofa.

On July 30, four leaders of the new committee, including three of the four who resigned earlier, were temporarily expelled from the party for breaking party discipline after the member collection and renewal programme of district unit BNP was foiled following a clash between the two factions on July 23.