Veteran BNP Legislator Ousted Amid Independent Election Bid

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has summarily dismissed Dr Salek Chowdhury, a high-profile veteran and three-time former Member of Parliament, from all levels of the organisation. This stern disciplinary action was confirmed late on Sunday, 4 January, through a formal notice signed by the party’s Senior Joint Secretary General, Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. The directive stated that Dr Chowdhury’s primary membership had been revoked due to his involvement in activities that directly contravene the party’s core principles and organisational discipline. The order was marked for immediate effect, effectively ending his decades-long official association with the nationalist camp.

Dr Chowdhury, who previously served as the President of the Niamatpur Upazila BNP, has been a dominant political figure in the Naogaon-1 (Porsha-Sapahar-Niamatpur) constituency for years. He successfully secured the seat in the sixth, seventh, and eighth national parliaments, marking him as one of the region’s most seasoned politicians. However, a rift emerged when the party leadership chose to nominate Mostafizur Rahman, the current General Secretary of the Niamatpur Upazila BNP, as the official candidate for the upcoming 13th General Election. Undeterred by the party’s decision, Dr Chowdhury submitted his own nomination as an independent candidate, a move the BNP high command viewed as an act of open rebellion.

In his defence, the embattled former MP claimed he had not been officially served with the expulsion notice and insisted he had committed no breach of party etiquette. He argued that since the legal window for withdrawing nomination papers remains open until 20 January, he was still technically within his rights to hold his position. Dr Chowdhury also hinted at a darker internal power struggle, suggesting that while Acting Chairman Tarek Rahman is preoccupied with personal mourning, opportunistic elements within the party are targeting loyal veterans. Despite the party’s attempt to isolate him, Dr Chowdhury’s candidacy was officially validated by election officials earlier the same day, setting the stage for a contentious three-way battle in Naogaon-1.

Overview of Political Standing and Constituency Rivalry