The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) marks its 48th founding anniversary on September 1, having returned to power after nearly two decades outside government. Six months after forming the government, the party faces challenges over the economy, public security, energy supplies, administration, foreign policy and allegations of political influence.
BNP returned to power with a large majority in the 13th national parliamentary election on February 12. The government was formed on February 17 and says it has taken initiatives in several sectors, including the economy, social security, administration and foreign policy, while work is under way to implement election pledges.
Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, BNP’s acting secretary general, described the party as a “champion team” on its 48th anniversary. Speaking to Ajker Patrika on Monday, Rizvi said BNP’s past achievements and contributions were deeply linked to Bangladesh’s politics and development.
“BNP has played an important role in protecting multiparty democracy, independence and freedom of expression, as well as in development, production and achieving self-reliance,” Rizvi said. “The party’s leaders and activists have made sacrifices in every crisis of democracy and also in the July mass uprising.”
Rizvi said challenges were inevitable for both BNP and the government. “There will be challenges. Work that does not have challenges ahead of it is not advanced work. We have to move forward by facing the challenges,” he said.
Political analysts said the government had made progress in some areas but continued to face questions over law and order, gas and electricity shortages, coordination in the administration, party influence and the activities of several ministers and state ministers.
Muhammad Mujibur Rahman, a professor at the Institute of Education and Research at the University of Dhaka, said the Prime Minister’s message was not being communicated properly throughout the cabinet, among advisers and among party leaders and activists.
“The Prime Minister has spoken of a plan and a dream. But for some reason, I feel that the message he wants to convey is not reaching his cabinet, advisers and leaders and activists properly. This is a major challenge,” Rahman said.
BNP leaders said the party had endured political upheaval, attacks, cases, persecution, obstacles and criticism during its years in and out of power. They said some had once believed BNP would cease to exist, but the party had recovered and was now responsible for running the state.
BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman is leading the government as Prime Minister. Party leaders said BNP continues to work towards the objectives for which its founder, the late President Ziaur Rahman, established the party, and which Begum Khaleda Zia later advanced.
The BNP-led government’s most significant weaknesses during its first six months have emerged in matters directly affecting daily life, according to the report. Commodity prices remain a major public concern, despite government initiatives aimed at reducing inflation.
Questions also remain over how far the benefits of anti-inflation measures have reached markets. Dissatisfaction is also growing over gas supplies, the fuel crisis and load-shedding, while law and order remains a major test for the government.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has claimed that law and order has visibly improved in six months. Law enforcement agencies have also reported progress in curbing crime. Opposition parties and critics, however, said public expectations in this area had been higher.
The National Citizen Party (NCP), in its assessment of the government’s 180 days, alleged failures in commodity prices, energy, law and order, health and state institutions. The party also accused the government of returning to an old political culture.
BNP maintained its organisational structure at district, metropolitan, upazila, union and ward levels despite being out of power for a long time. Party leaders said that organisational strength played a major role in the election six months ago.
BNP’s organisational role has changed since it returned to power. While leaders and activists previously focused mainly on movements and political programmes, many are now involved in elected representation, local administration, development projects, government institutions and political influence.
Rizvi recently stressed the need for party leaders and activists to maintain discipline. Ahead of local government elections, he called on leaders at union, upazila and district levels to support qualified candidates and avoid unethical activities.
Some critics have said the party and government have effectively become indistinguishable since BNP returned to power. BNP leaders dismissed such criticism as “nothing more than sensational talk”.
BNP Vice-Chairman Shamsuzzaman Dudu told Ajker Patrika that the party remained separate from the government. “The party is in its own place. The party leadership is in the government and is running the government. It would not be correct to say that the party and government have become one,” he said.
Badiul Alam Majumdar, secretary of Citizens for Good Governance (SHUJAN), said BNP needed to perform better as both a party and a governing force.
“I think BNP has to do better than what it is doing,” Majumdar said. “If there is no democracy within the party, there will be no democracy in the country either. Democracy must first be established within the party, and it must become a political party in the true sense. Otherwise, it will be the same old thing.”