BNP on Monday pulled out Taimur Alam Khandaker from its chairperson’s advisory council as he is contesting the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC) election as an independent mayoral candidate defying the party decision.
Taimur was informed of the party’s action through a letter signed by party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi in the afternoon without assigning any reason for removing him from the post.
On December 26 last, Taimur was also relieved from the post of convener of Narayanganj district unit BNP. He is, however, still the party’s primary member.
Contacted, Rizvi said Taimur’s name was withdrawn from the BNP chairperson’s advisory council as per the decision of party high command.
He declined to elaborate the reason behind the party’s punitive action.
A senior BNP leader, wishing anonymity, said their party has a decision not to join any polls under the Awami League government. “That’s why our party has long been boycotting local body polls. But Taimur Alam Khandaker didn’t comply with the party’s decision.”
As Taimur has been there in the Narayanganj city polls race as an independent candidate, he said, their party has decided to withdraw him from an important post of party chairperson’s adviser.
Sought his comment on the party’s action, Taimur said, “I have the respect for the decision of the party…I welcome it. I earlier quit the election race in 2011 as per the party’s directives. I heard that a move was there in favour of the ruling party candidate. I think the action was taken against me this time as well for the same reason.”
He said he is now a candidate of the people of Narayanganj city. “Now I’ve no guardian. I’m guardian of myself and my people. I’ll remain there in the election race till the end.”
Taimur was made a member of the BNP chairperson’s advisory council after the party’s sixth national council held in March, 2016.
The Narayanganj City Corporation polls are scheduled to be held on January 16. Taimur is vying for the post of the mayor with the election symbol ‘Elephant’’.
Incumbent mayor Selina Hayat Ivy is contesting the polls with Awami League’s election symbol “Boat’.
Taimur was also there in the Narayanganj City Corporation polls in 2011 but he stayed away from the voting as per party decision at that time.
Source: United News of Bangladesh