The BNP's defining moments?
IN the wake of one-eleven, the once powerful Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) almost disintegrated. Even before that, in its worst ever aberration, the party existentially dipped to its nadir. Even now the party is chronically divided into reformists and non-reformists. The contending factions have engaged each other in an invisible cold war. The divisions and relationship seem to have become a permanent feature of the party. Even the party supremo, Madam Zia, has not been able to reconcile the differences between the quarrelling factions.
Yet, amid disgust and delusion on the one hand and optimism and buoyancy on the other, the BNP is going to hold its council at long last. Although December 8 has been scheduled for the purpose no one knows its fate because the party's local units were not been able to complete the council at their level by November 25. So, speculation abounds not only about the date of the council, but also about its nitty-gritty.
Notwithstanding the council's fate, political observers are seeing the upcoming events as the BNP's defining moment, when some of the party's fundamental contradictions as well as those in the existing leadership are likely to be addressed. Since the party's last council meeting and deliberations the polity has metamorphosed a great deal, raising the public expectation and making it even more critical of governance. A broad brush in politics in a perfunctory manner is neither practicable nor acceptable for a nation of 150 million people with their growing demands and equally growing difficulty in meeting them. The new generation of BNP activists is no more in favour of the old archaic leadership. Perhaps the people responsible for the party's ignominy will have to be jettisoned by the party.
Dashing those lofty ideas and pious hopes only a few days back, Madam Zia minced no words while giving her bit of mind about the shape of things the BNP would assume to portend a transition to future BNP leadership. It would indicate that she has either changed, or is prepared to change, her political outlook. On the occasion of the 45th birthday anniversary of Tareq Zia, her elder son, she did not speak with her tongue in cheek as to the changes due in the party in the party hierarchy. She made it almost certain that Tareq Zia could put on her mantle -- perhaps no more on ad hoc basis -- whenever that change ever occurs.
In politics, calling it a day at a point of time after presiding over as many as three governments and reaching a suitable age to look back and reminisce makes good sense -- particularly when the person concerned refuses to develop a positive political outlook while enjoying all the trappings as well as perks and privileges of a responsible office. Aren't Madam Zia, a chronic truant, and her like a liability for the office they hold? All told, few, however, think that Madam Zia will quit -- given her personal penchant for asserting authority -- now with Tarq Zia by her side.
Those who think of genuinely pulling BNP out of the quagmire that it has inadvertently been stuck in are indeed worried over the Tareq Zia factor and its suitable disposal because the mother's considered mascot is not still a salable brand without removal of the miasma over him. He is still besmeared by the Hawa Bhaban sleaze, and more is being added to it with his reported connection with the August 21 brutality. For none of his crimes has he yet undergone a period of penance to wash them off. How can he be acceptable, at least to the sensible people in the BNP. Won't it then be a matter of Tweeldedum and Tweedledee?
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