BNP has expelled 61 leaders of the party for participating in the second phase of upazila polls. BNP sent a press release on Saturday mentioning names of the expelled leaders.

The release sent by BNP’s senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the leaders were expelled from all posts including primary membership of the party for taking part in the polls violating the party decision.

Of the expelled, 26 are competing in chairman posts, 35 in vice chairman post and 16 in female vice chairman post.

Those who are expelled

According to the list of BNP, the expelled leaders are Habib Al Amin, former president of Moidan Dighi Union BNP of Boda upazila of Panchagarh district; acting convener of Debiganj upazila BNP Rafiqul Islam, Syedpur’s (organisational district) joint secretary Riyad Arfan Sarkar, Dinajpur district BNP member Riazul Islam, Natore’s Lalpur upazila unit joint convener of BNP VP Arif, Bagatipara upazila BNP’s joint convener Jahangir Hossain, Meherpur’s Gangni upazila BNP’s former vice president Zulfikar Ali, Khulna district BNP’s former assistant labor affairs secretary Md Enamul Haque, , Khulna district Swecchasebak Dal’s organising secretary Sabbir Ahmed, Barguna district BNP’s former general secretary Abdul Halim, Manikganj district BNP’s joint general secretary of liberation war affairs Abdul Mannan, Manikganj district BNP’s member Khandkar Liakat Hossain, Tangail's Bhuapur upazila BNP vice president Mostafizur Rahman, Jubo Dal central committee member Mahbubur Rahman in Munshiganj's Tongibari upazila, Mymensingh sadar thana Krishak Dal’s former joint convener Hossain Noor Mohammad Anir, Sherpur district BNP member Moksedul Haque in Nakla, Sunamganj’s Dharmapasha upazila BNP organising secretary Saiful Islam Chowdhury, Tahirpur Upazila BNP’s former vice president Abul Kashem, Bishwambarpur upazila BNP’s member Harunur Rashid and former central leader Mohan Miah, Jamalganj upazila BNP’s former president Nurul Haque Affindi, Sylhet district BNP’s treasurer Shah Alam in Gowainghat upazila, Nabiganj upazila BNP joint convener Mojibur Rahman in Habiganj upazila, Pekua upazila Jubo Dal’s former president Shafayet Aziz in Cox's Bazar, Bandarban’s Lama upazila BNP’s former vice president Zaker Hossain Majumdar and Hajiganj upazila’s former organising secretary Abu Sufian in Chandpur.

The expelled BNP leaders have filed nomination to contest in the second phase of upazila election in 159 upazilas. The party tried to dissuade these leaders from joining the election in different ways. The party even sent a letter from the party’s highest decision making body, standing committee, to these candidates.

You must adhere to discipline to do the politics of the party. The party decided not to participate in the polls as joining this election is tantamount to legitimize this illegal government

About the decision of the party, BNP leader Rizvi told Prothom Alo, “You must adhere to discipline to do the politics of the party. The party decided not to participate in the polls as joining this election is tantamount to legitimize this illegal government. They should have stepped down first if the election is more important to them than the party.”