LDP Leaders Talk Democratic Act Autocratic

Bilkopo Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) was formed to give to the people an alternative. They propagated clean leadership and democratic behaviour and stood firm in their fight against corruption and militancy. For over two years, the party fought it out and sustained in the most difficult of times. This was possible because the founders had a few good men believing in them and the ideals that they said they stood for. People perceived BDB as an alternative where people from all walks of life, profession and party willing to pursue clean politics would converge.

Meanwhile, while the party workers were busy promoting clean politics, the leadership was busy in clandestine and undemocratic moves to overthrow the government by buying out other corrupt MPs from the governing party – better known as the “April 30 Trump Card”. This has recently come to light through the ongoing investigations by the joint interrogation cell. Reading the daily newspapers the party workers were appalled as they were not aware of such moves earlier.

Even though they did not achieve any success then, the moves later on let to the formation of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). DBD party men dedicated to the principals that were the basis of the foundation of BDB raised their concerns about the inclusion of certain corrupt and militant politicians migrating from BNP. At that time, they party leadership had reassured them that the ideals of BDB would be carried forward into LDP and that the questionable leaders would be dealt with at a later stage as at that point in time the breaking of BNP was the need of the hour.

However, the dedicated party men continued to raise their concerns. Their concerns came to pass during the nomination process. Alas, LDP had turned into nothing more that what BNP was. It had, to their dismay, turned into a party where money was the primary driver in positioning oneself into the good books of the leaders.

The saga continued in spite of the shift in the political arena thereafter. Divisions became visible between the two distinct groups – Dr. B. Chowdhury vs Dr. Col. Oli. The ego war and the battle for party leadership continued and ideals and principals propagated went out the window. Promises made to the people in the past two years were forgotten as usual.

Alarmed, the few good men started to write to the leaders. They started raising their voices for reforms. Their voices where perhaps mute as the leaders either did not hear them or simply ignored them. This put the workers at the different levels of the party including people within the National Executive Committee to raise their concerns to the press. The agenda – reforms. The issue – democratic behavior within the party.

The leaders, by now having changed their colours, were angered. How could the petty party workers raise their voice against the imperial leaders, the high and mighty? The actions that followed were very much Machiavellian. Silence them, pick one and expel the person from the party for his audacity so that no one else dares to raise their voice anymore. On the 5th of June, 2007, ATM Kamal, the Publicity Secretary of the National Executive Committee, was expelled. A unilateral decision taken by the President, the Executive President and the General Secretary.

It is now clear, that the LDP leadership preaches democracy but practices all ways and means of undemocratic methods with the sole intent of attaining power.