Mohammad Ali Sattar
It all happens in our politics. Ever since the BNP bashing started in full swing since 2007, there is no respite for the party, especially its chief. There has been an orchestrated scheme to undermine the party in every way that is possible.
Since the changeover of one eleven and subsequent victory of Awami League in the national polls, BNP has been bullied around like a foot ball.
The party and its members are facing charges in huge numbers, their movements have been effectively neutralized, and offices have come under constant vigil, mostly in shutters.
AL’s orchestrated campaign
The BNP chief is trying her best to reinvigorate the party but finds it hard to gather the momentum. There are hundreds of factors now facing the party. Most of the leaders are behind bars or facing possible jail sentences. In brief, there has been a lull in the party front. There will be more hard days ahead, one expects.
All said and done the party and its chief is walking the tight ropes. She has been tested time and again by the government. The continuous tirade against Khaleza Zia by most of the senior AL members and ministers keeps the AL politics alight. Who is gaining from this is really difficult to fathom.
One strategy is clear from the government (AL) side that there should be no respite given to the party and the chairperson. She will have to be taken to task for anything she says or any sound she makes.
Against the backdrop, Khaleda’s meeting with India’s Prime Minister Modi has dropped a bombshell in the AL camp and the government premise has been shaken, without any reason though.
There was a confident declaration by our foreign minister that there would be no meeting between Modi and Khaleda during the former’s visit to Dhaka. We were also informed by reliable sources that there will no meeting planned by the Indian side. The government allies and over enthusiastic rivals of the BNP chairperson were all out to thwart any move by any quarter who favoured a meeting between the two.
However, things turned sour for all who were against the meeting. It was learnt later that Delhi decided Modi will be meeting Khaleda Zia after all. Perhaps, she has gained due importance and space in the current Indian political agenda.
AL’s weakness, BNP’s comfort
India thought it would not be wise to drop Khaleda from the meeting list. She has been the PM for three times and she has considerable influence over a large section of the populace who could be either anti or pro India.
It was Modi’s wisdom that saw the meeting take place. He did not want to make Khaleda Zia a permanent anti-Indian leader. Rather he considered talking to her and reading her mind.
She already had welcomed the visit by the Indian PM and also expressed her interested to mend ties with India. She trusts that here was no reason the relationship between the two parties (BJP and BNP) cannot be maintained.
Whatever effort the BNP has put in or whatever finally helped the meeting take effect, it was a success for BNP. Amidst stiff opposition by the government and huge lobbying, Khaleda came out winning in meeting the Indian leader.
After the meeting, the reaction of the AL leaders was pathetic. The senior members were aloud with tainting the BNP leader. Tofael Ahmed was heard saying she compromised her position and bowed to the Indian PM and so on. One of the AL members said she begged for a time with Indian PM. More castigating remarks were passed and it continues.
One fails to comprehend what’s so important to AL if Khaleda Zia met the Indian PM? What’s there to lose for AL? Why should the party react in such a manner? What’s the big deal about the meet? All these rumpuses are sign of weakness on its part. However, it gives BNP at least a little comfort, for now.
Source: Weekly Holiday
