No actions taken by the BNP high command could stop its leaders from joining the 12th Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election slated for January 7, 2024.
A large number BNP’s central and influential leaders already have decided to take part in the polls. Many of them joined several other political while others are going to take part in the election as the independent candidates.
Sources said many other leaders of the BNP and its allies are also collecting nomination forms from the Election Commission secretly defying.
According to sources, most of the leaders from the BNP and its allies are taking part in the polls by joining the Trinamool BNP, Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM) and Bangladesh Supreme Party (BSP) while others are joining the polls as the independent candidates.
Some BNP leaders are also communicating with Bangladesh Kalyan Party and Bangladesh Muslim League. Both the parties were the close allies of BNP but recently decided to join the polls under present constitutional framework.
According to the political analysts, before the nomination paper collection deadline ends, many more BNP leaders may buy nomination papers to take part in the polls ignoring the decision of the BNP high command.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Tuesday claimed that BNP leaders are now denying party's acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman as their leader and, therefore, they are forming new platforms to participate in the polls.
The Home Minister further said the government has information that those who are facing troubles accepting Tarique’s leadership are preparing to join the elections.
“You have seen that the BNP's leadership is not liked by many people within the party. That's why they are trying to participate in the polls by forming new parties”, he continued.
BNP chairperson’s adviser Syed AK Ekramuzzaman and National Executive Committee member Shah Md Abu Zafa have decided to take part in the election.
Ekramuzzaman has collected nomination paper to contest the polls from Brahmanbaria-1 (Nasirnagar) constituency.
Ekramuzzaman contested the national election as an independent candidate in the 2001 election, and in the 2008 and 2018 elections as a BNP candidate, but he never be able to be elected.
BNP's National Executive Committee member Abu Zafar joined the newly registered Bangladesh Nationalist Movement on November 21 to take part in the election.
Pro-BNP singer Dolly Shaiantani bought a nomination form from the BNM to participate in the national polls. She collected the form for Pabna-2 constituency.
Earlier, BNP Vice-Chairman Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed opined that BNP should join the elections .
His closed political colleagues on condition of anonymity said that either he or his son may contest the polls from a constituency in Bhola.
On November 24, BNP's national executive committee member Khandkar Ahsan Habib, who was recently expelled from the party, is going to contest the election for Tangail-5 (Sadar) constituency.
He also disclosed that at least 15 BNP leaders together have come under the banner of the Swatantra Ganatantra Mancha to join the polls.
Habib was BNP candidate from Tangail-5 (Sadar) constituency in 2008 and 2018 national elections respectively. He was a Ward Councilor of Tangail municipality in 1993.
Dewan Nazim Uddin Manju, president of the Dhamrai Municipality unit of BNP also bought a nomination form.
After he had brought nomination form, BNP expelled Manju from all positions, including primary membership of the party.
Naziur Rahman Manju said that he has recently collected nomination papers in order to run the polls as an independent candidate.
Anwar Hossain Manju, joint convener of Juri Upazila Swechchhasebak Dal in Moulvibazar, also collected nomination form from Trinamool BNP. Later BNP expelled him.
Anwar Hossain was involved with the politics of Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal for a long time.
BNP insiders hinted that considering their uncertain political careers, more than fifty well-known party leaders may join the national polls just before the last date of nomination submission to the EC.
BNP sources said the major political party may face another split after its two of influential leaders formed the Trinamool BNP.
Political analysts opined that BNP appears indecisive and inactive, which has led to uncertainty about the party's future. This situation has prompted speculation among BNP leaders and its members about the possibility of a split within the party.
Two former BNP leaders have recently joined Trinamool BNP, namely Advocate Taimur Alam Khanadker, a long-standing BNP leader who was expelled from the party for participating in the last Narayanganj City election, and former BNP vice-chairman Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury.
Besides, some former BNP leaders are now the part of a new political party BNM.
Political analysts attribute the departure of some members from BNP to internal indecision within the party and uncertainty about its future.