Behind the diplomatic failure of BNP in the UK

September 06, 2023
Behind the diplomatic failure of BNP in the UK Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has been living in the United Kingdom for more than 15 years. UK BNP's 44 zonal committees have been instructed by the UK BNP to lobby local MPs and MPs in their respective constituencies on behalf of the BNP on the Bangladesh issue. At least half a dozen International and Associate International Affairs Secretaries of the Central Committee of the BNP and allied organizations reside permanently in the UK. There are also personal advisors employed by Tarique Rahman. There are many public representatives elected to various important positions including councilors in various councils of the United Kingdom, who are involved and supportive of BNP politics in Bangladesh. A number of senior journalist intellectuals who worked in Muldhara's mass media including BBC including senior journalist Shafiq Rehman, who is close to BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, reside permanently in Britain. But, even then, the party could not get a statement from at least five British MPs on behalf of Begum Khaleda Zia's treatment abroad or any issue of Bangladesh. There are various discussions within the party itself regarding the role of leaders responsible for diplomatic lobbying on behalf of the BNP in the United States. On behalf of Bengali Tribune, several leaders who are in charge of diplomatic lobbying on behalf of BNP in the United States have been contacted about this matter, but they are afraid of displeasing the party high command if they speak to the media by revealing their names. On condition of anonymity, a leader responsible for diplomatic relations on behalf of BNP in the United States for a long time told Bangla Tribune that there are several reasons for the lack of visible progress at the diplomatic level in the United States. And not all the successes of the diplomatic process are visible immediately. It is known that among the four members of Parliament of the Labor Party of Bangladeshi descent, at least one MP failed to sympathize with the BNP or the party's chairperson's demand for medical treatment abroad. Although there are separate organizations of Bangladeshi supporters of the ruling Conservative Party and the opposition Labor Party in Britain outside their respective parliamentary seats, the diplomatic officials of BNP have not been able to take any visible action there. In addition, the alleged involvement of radical fundamentalist groups with the BNP is another major reason for the diplomatic failure of the BNP in the United States to be able to convey this information to the top levels of the British ruling and opposition parties on behalf of the Bangladesh government. Jamaat-e-Islami also participated in BNP's march program in London on August 29. By participating side by side with Jamaat leaders in the same agenda, Jamaat is close so that BNP opponents can not run negative propaganda in the international arena; Tarique Rahman refrained from participating in the BNP's march program in London on August 29 due to security issues at the last minute, even though he participated in the program campaign with leaflets. Leaders and activists from different cities were disappointed as Tarique Rahman did not come to the program at the last moment. Although the United Kingdom BNP gathered about six thousand people in London on August 29, the party could not take the initiative to publish the news in any mainstream media of the United Kingdom. Apart from this, there is also a lack of coordination of conflicting circles within the BNP in the UK on the issue of extending credit to the leader. Due to this lack of coordination, those who were working from outside the ranks of the party are also inactive. People around Tarique Rahman, on the other hand, are more interested in using pro-BNP activists, ex-bureaucrats and army officers who are permanently resident in the United States for fear of losing their authority. A source related to the diplomatic activities of BNP said that the main reason for the lack of visible progress on the diplomatic level for the BNP in the United Kingdom is that the United Kingdom government indirectly supports the actions of the United States of America in many such matters, including Bangladesh. British politicians are less interested in talking about the Bangladesh issue than the Americans due to some strategic reasons. The strategies and diplomatic behavior of governments and political parties vary from country to country. Britain's top two teams The Labor and Conservative parties are now more focused on fixing their own domestic policies ahead of the upcoming UK election. Britain's political analyst and journalist Mahbubul Karim Sued told the Bangla Tribune on Sunday that there are about 1.2 million Bangladeshis living in this country. Britain's relationship with the people of Bangladesh is historic. There are Bangladeshis in all parties including Conservative and Labor in Britain. Bangladeshis are also in the Liberal Democratic Party. There are more or less Bangladeshi voters in almost all parliamentary seats in Britain. Expatriate Bangladeshis who support BNP outnumber those who support Awami League. British politicians are not willing to support one side of Bangladesh against the other side. Because, at the end of the day, the votes here are counted. They need everyone's vote. Correspondingly, British MPs, politicians are aware of all the issues regarding Bangladesh but are aware of taking action. And the United States is active in Dr. Yunus issue. BNP is trying to utilize that opportunity.

You May Like