A 720-square-foot BNP office has been set up on the third floor of the Multi-Purpose Market in the Patuakhali municipal town of Galachipa. The office was formally launched with a prayer service the next day, following the furniture move on Wednesday night. The signboard hasn’t been up yet, though. The selling of forms had begun when the local authorities declared the floor for rent. Nevertheless, the BNP’s use of the area has sparked unfavourable conversations among the community. According to BNP leaders, they moved in temporarily with the Upazila Nirbahi Officer’s (UNO) verbal consent and will leave the area as soon as a renter is found.
There are two factions inside the Galachipa BNP, according to local reports. One section follows the late MP Shahjahan Khan, while the other is loyal to central leader Hasan Mamun and is led by President Siddiqur Rahman and General Secretary Abdus Sattar Howlader. The BNP office was established in the town centre in 2004 on government property close to the Agricultural Bank building. Shahjahan Khan’s supporters presently hold this post. The Hasan Mamun group has abandoned the office after the new committee was established in 2023 and has since relocated to the recently occupied market office.
According to Jewel Gazi, the municipal market inspector, a notice was published on December 30 offering the market’s third floor and ten stalls on the second floor for rent; forms for renting were sold on January 1; a Labour Party leader came to ask about the rent but declined to purchase the form after hearing the price; and on Thursday, it was reported that the BNP had established an office on the third floor, though Jewel is not sure why they did so.
The notice indicated that renting the third floor would require an advance payment of 12 lakh Taka and a monthly rent of 20,000 Taka. Forms would be sold until January 27, and the submitted forms would be opened on January 27 at 3 PM.
Siddiqur Rahman, the president of the Upazila BNP, told Samakal, “We don’t have an office. We have been sitting here and there. Since the third floor of the market was vacant, we have set up a temporary office for now. Once the final tenant is confirmed, we will vacate the space.”
Regarding the office setup after the notice was published, he said, “We do not have the means to pay the amount requested by the municipality. We have no shame, so we moved in.”
According to UNO and Municipal Administrator Mizanur Rahman, “BNP representatives had come to ask about renting the third level. Sometimes they asked for verbal permission to meet when we explained that it would only be rented to businesses. As soon as the last renter is verified, they will go.
Source: Samakal
