Cumilla city mayor Sakku expelled for life from BNP

Camilla City Mayor Sakku

Dhaka, May 19 - BNP on Thursday expelled Cumilla city Mayor Monirul Haque Sakku for life as he is contesting the upcoming city polls defying the party’s decision to boycott all polls under the incumbent government.

Sakku, a former joint secretary of Cumilla south district unit of BNP, was expelled for life from all posts, including primary membership, of the party for his involvement in anti-party activities that went against the party discipline, said the release.

The press release, signed by party assistant office secretary Taiful Islam Tipu, asked BNP leaders and activists to severe all contacts with Sakku from now on.

Sakku, a two-time mayor of the Cumilla city, are contesting the election billed for June for a straight third term as an independent candidate.

Earlier on December 14, 2021, Sakku was relieved from BNP’s national executive committee.

A party senior leader said the action was taken as Sakku has long been maintaining a distance from BNP and indulging in anti-party activities.

He said BNP leaders and activists were critical of Sakku as he sought Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s blessings touching her feet after taking oath as the Cumilla city mayor for the second time in May, 2017.

He later became inactive in BNP’s politics and reportedly developed good relations with the local ruling party leaders, the BNP leader said.

Besides, the BNP leaders said Sakku has not been joining the party meetings and programmes.

He said local BNP leaders also lodged various complaints with the central leaders against Sakku as he was not participating in BNP’s programmes and ignoring the party’s leaders and activists.

Earlier, BNP also expelled its leader Taimur Alam Khandaker for contesting the Narayanganj City Corporation polls as an independent candidate.

Meanwhile, BNP’s associate body Swechchasebak Dal expelled its central assistant organising secretary and  Cumilla city unit president Nizamuddin Kaisar for life.

In a press release signed by Swechchasebak Dal office secretary Rafiqul Islam, said, Kaisar has been expelled for life from all posts, including primary membership, of the organization as he is contesting the Cumilla city polls breaching the party discipline.

At the same time, Swechchasebak Dal leaders and activists have been instructed not to carry out any campaign in the Cumilla city elections and participate in the election activities directly or indirectly.

Besides, Monir Hossain Parvez, senior vice-president of Cumilla city unit Swechchasebak Dal, has been appointed acting president of the unit. - UNB