It has been 18 long years since the Tangail District BNP lost its office, and even after three years, a full committee has yet to be announced. Party activists remain hostage to the district’s top two leaders.

In the district’s last bi-annual conference, councilors elected Hasanuzzaman Shahin as president and Advocate Farhad Iqbal as general secretary. Nearly three years have passed since, but the full committee remains incomplete—its term already expired—causing widespread frustration and resentment among grassroots workers.

During the 1/11 government, BNP’s district office, once located at the heart of Tangail town, was lost. Since then, for almost two decades, the district BNP has been functioning without an office. Grassroots activists say they cannot make sense of the current chaotic state of the district organization.

According to party sources, the Tangail District BNP’s bi-annual conference was held on November 1, 2022. Elected through direct votes, the young leadership of Shahin and Iqbal—both rising from the Chhatra Dal—brought hope for renewal, but that dream was soon shattered. Although the central committee instructed them to form a full committee within three months, that never materialized. Later, a proposed list was sent to the center, which was rejected by rival factions as one-sided and exclusionary toward veteran activists. Nearly three years on, no approved committee exists.

The absence of a full committee has severely obstructed the rise of new leadership, fueling internal feuds, disunity, and a widening gap between grassroots activists and district leaders. Many have accused certain individuals of autocratic behavior and consolidating undue influence within the party.

As the next national election draws closer, hopes among party workers are rising again—yet factionalism and nomination battles persist. In particular, BNP’s Publicity Secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku appears to be the clear frontrunner for the Tangail-5 (Sadar) constituency nomination. Activists are enthusiastic, describing Tuku not merely as an organizer but as the leader whose foresight and commitment have revitalized BNP politics in Tangail.

However, a group is allegedly conspiring against him, spreading rumors that “the two brothers” will not be nominated. Yet the contributions of Abdus Salam Pintu—a veteran BNP leader and former minister—and his younger brother Sultan Salahuddin Tuku remain a proud chapter in the BNP’s history. Both endured severe persecution under the Awami League regime.

According to senior BNP sources, Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is expected to nominate Pintu for Tangail-2 and Tuku for Tangail-5, a decision the party high command believes would be both fair and politically wise. For over fifteen years, Tuku has risked his life in protests, spending years in hiding and enduring repeated imprisonment and torture.

Known for his humility, composure, and deep loyalty to the Zia family, Tuku has become a symbol of trust in Tangail Sadar. Locals believe that under his leadership, Tangail could see major development if BNP comes to power. Supporters emphasize his integrity and commitment—qualities they find lacking in other nomination-seekers accused of extortion and influence-peddling.

Youth voters, too, view Tuku as a trusted leader. His focus on sports, culture, and environmental campaigns has endeared him to the younger generation. Massive football and cultural events at Tangail Stadium and the Shahid Smriti Udyan have drawn tens of thousands of participants, with popular singer James performing to packed crowds. His tree-planting drives across schools and colleges have earned widespread praise for promoting a greener Tangail.

Despite ongoing smear campaigns, Tuku remains composed, urging his followers to stay peaceful and focused on unity. Party insiders and the public alike believe he is the most competent candidate for BNP in Tangail-5—someone who could even be appointed to a ministerial position if BNP forms the next government.

Meanwhile, in Tangail-2 (Gopalpur–Bhuapur), there is also said to be no alternative to Advocate Abdus Salam Pintu, a veteran politician and founding general secretary of Tangail District BNP. Loved across party lines, he has endured immense persecution, including a death sentence in the controversial August 21 grenade attack case—widely seen as part of the ruling party’s plan to eliminate BNP leadership.

Pintu spent 17 years in prison, while his brothers faced arrests, torture, and exile. Locals recall him as a man of integrity, repeatedly elected as Member of Parliament and overwhelmingly popular in the Gopalpur–Bhuapur constituency.

In meetings with constituents after his release from prison in December 2024, Pintu shared horrifying accounts of torture, including 24 rounds of remand and physical abuse so brutal that many detainees did not survive. His testimony has shaken even veteran political observers.

Grassroots BNP leaders in Tangail-2—including Kazi Liaquat and Selimuzzaman Selu—say Pintu is irreplaceable: “If BNP nominates anyone else here, it would be a suicidal move.”

Both brothers—Abdus Salam Pintu in Tangail-2 and Sultan Salahuddin Tuku in Tangail-5—are seen by party members and the public as indispensable. After enduring imprisonment, torture, and relentless political repression, they remain unwaveringly loyal to the BNP.

In the upcoming national elections, BNP activists across Tangail agrees that there is no alternatives to the two brothers in Tangail-2 and Tangail-5.