BNP Suspends Fazlur Rahman’s Membership for Three Months

Staff Correspondent. Dhaka, August 26, 2025:

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has suspended all party posts, including the primary membership, of its chairperson’s advisor Advocate Fazlur Rahman for three months. The decision was announced in a letter issued by the party’s central office on Tuesday (August 26). The decision was taken in the wake of Fazlur Rahman’s controversial comments on the July-August uprising last year.

Party sources said that a show cause notice was issued to Fazlur Rahman on August 24. The notice said that he had made ‘indecent and misleading’ comments about the July-August uprising and its martyrs, which were against the party’s ideology and the spirit of the movement. He was asked to give a written explanation within 24 hours. When Fazlur Rahman applied for an extension of time, he was given an additional 24 hours. However, his explanation submitted on August 26 was not considered satisfactory by the party.

The suspension letter states, “Considering your contribution as a heroic freedom fighter in the Liberation War, no strict organizational measures are being taken. However, all your positions, including your primary membership, have been suspended for three months.” In addition, he has been asked to be careful when making statements on official or social media so as not to harm the country’s dignity or the party’s policies.

Fazlur Rahman told the Bangla Tribune about the decision, “I don’t know anything about it yet. I will talk about it later when I get the letter.” He claimed that he had never said or done anything that harmed the party and that he had full confidence in the party leadership.

Meanwhile, Fazlur Rahman’s controversial remarks have drawn strong public reactions. On August 25, a group of protesters under the banner of ‘ordinary students’ staged a demonstration in front of his Shegunbagichar residence demanding his arrest and expulsion from the party. In addition, leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Democratic Students’ Union burned his effigy at Dhaka University. He was declared ‘persona non grata’ in Kishoreganj.

Fazlur Rahman denied the allegations against him, saying he never called the organizers of the mass uprising ‘black power’. He told reporters before the Supreme Court, “I did not say that Jamaat created black power on August 5. This is false. Listen to my full statement.” He also claimed that two Jamaat-affiliated YouTubers had threatened to kill him. The incident has sparked a new debate on the BNP’s internal discipline and spirit of independence. A section of the party believes that leaders like Fazlur Rahman are damaging the party’s image. Many have demanded his expulsion on social media. However, the party leadership has tried to resolve the issue through a three-month suspension order.

It is worth noting that Fazlur Rahman is a heroic freedom fighter and former MP from Kishoreganj-3 constituency. He has been involved in BNP politics for a long time and is known as the ‘Charan Kabi’ for his colorful speeches.