Bangladesh: BNP Claims Efforts to Make It Suffer Awami League's Fate

Synopsis

On March 19, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) accused various factions of trying to ensure that they face the same downfall as the Awami League. BNP leaders voiced concerns over media bias and alleged conspiracies to delay upcoming elections, as political unity in Bangladesh appears to be waning.

Key Takeaways

The BNP asserts a conspiracy is at play to undermine them.
Media bias against the BNP is a significant concern.
Upcoming national elections in December are in doubt.
The political landscape in Bangladesh is increasingly volatile.
Unity among political factions is gradually eroding.

Dhaka, March 19 (NationPress) The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Wednesday asserted that certain factions are making significant efforts to ensure that the party encounters the same fate as the Awami League, according to local media reports.

Khaleda Zia's BNP rose to prominence as the largest political entity in Bangladesh following the downfall of the rival Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government.

"There are ongoing attempts to guarantee that the BNP faces the same fate as the Awami League. Just observe -- there is no positive coverage about the BNP. The focus is solely on the negative aspects -- accusing the BNP of corruption in one instance, while neglecting what Jamaat-e-Islami has done elsewhere," stated BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas during an iftar event in Dhaka.

Earlier this month, while speaking to reporters in Dhaka, Abbas conveyed his discontent, asserting that certain political parties are being ignored by the media, which only seems to spotlight the BNP, frequently with "exaggerated and inflated" reports. He refrained from identifying any specific party, accusing the media of obscuring truths by failing to report on them, reported the prominent Bangladeshi newspaper, The Daily Star.

"No journalist or publication is discussing a particular party. You are entirely silent about them. The focus is solely on the BNP, magnifying and embellishing it as much as possible. Much more is transpiring behind the scenes, yet you report nothing about it," Dhaka Tribune quoted Abbas as saying.

While addressing a conference last month, BNP acting Chairman Tarique Rahman accused the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government of fostering instability in Bangladesh.

"For a while now, we have been observing with concern that certain officials within the government are making contradictory statements regarding the restoration of citizens' rights. Consequently, unrest has permeated various regions," he remarked.

Last week, the BNP also expressed skepticism regarding the likelihood of national parliamentary elections occurring in December. Senior leaders of the party suspect that a "conspiracy" is in motion to postpone the elections, allegedly stemming from within the interim government.

The much-touted unity of various political factions in Bangladesh, which was prominently displayed during the ousting of the democratically-elected Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, appears to be gradually diminishing.

As the nation spirals into a significant crisis over the past seven months, several political leaders who previously supported Yunus are now openly criticizing him. The BNP has claimed to be a victim of a "conspiracy" and "media trial" within the country.