BNP here is virtually divided into two groups over formation of a full fledged district committee, a row that continues for about two years.

A faction led by its district president Habibul Islam Habib MP held a discussion meeting on the premises of district BNP office with Satkhira town BNP president Habibur Rahman in the chair.

District BNP president Habibul Islam Habib MP was the chief guest while it was addressed by, among others, Syed Iftekhar Ali, Samsuzzoha Bablu, Shahidul Islam, Emamul Islam, Abdus Sabur, Amjad Hossain, Abdus Samad, Prof. Khoda Boksa, Sirajul Islam, Kazi Sabur, Abu Zahid Dablu, Masum Billah Shahin, Asadur Rahman Asad, Abdur Rafique and Hafizur Rahman.

They criticised the other faction led by Rahmatullah Palash for "dividing" the party.

They held both MA Jalil and Palash responsible for splitting and weakening the party ahead of the party chief and prime minister's forthcoming visit to the district. The date is yet to be finalised, party sources said.

They asked party leaders and activists to remain vigilant against the "conspiracy" by the other faction to weaken the party ahead of the next parliamentary polls.

The other faction led by general secretary of the district unit Rahmaullah Palash held another discussion meeting on New Market premises with district BNP's senior vice-president M A Jalil in the chair.

It was addressed by, among others, the district unit general secretary Rahmatullah Palash, former secretary Kamrul Islam Farooq, Abdur Rouf, Golam Faruq Babu, Tozammel Hossain, Yusuf Ali, Abul Hasan Hadi and Nasim Farooq Khan Mithu.

They also criticised the district BNP president Habib for not asking them to attend the meeting convened by him and held him responsible for splitting the party.

A frustration is brewing in the rank and file of the party in the district due to the rift over formation of a full fledged district committee.

The BNP high command on June 8 last year dissolved the district committee headed by MA Jalil and Syed Iftekhar Ali and formed a committee with Habibul Islam Habib MP, MA Jalil and Rahmatullah Palash as president, senior vice- president and general secretary respectively and asked them to form a full fledged committee within three months.

Despite repeated instruction by the party high command, a district committee could not be formed due to the rift.

The rival faction also held separate programmes in the district town as part of the party’s country wide programmes.