Nahid, Hasnat Stay at Jatiyo Party Leader's Home

NCP had demanded a ban on the political activities of the Jatiyo Party, criticizing its role in three controversial elections held during the Awami League era. The party raised the demand in a meeting with former Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus and also organized rallies and demonstrations in support of it.

However, a year later, a different picture has emerged. While visiting Chattogram to distribute flood relief, top NCP leaders Nahid Islam and Hasnat Abdullah stayed at the home of a Jatiyo Party presidium member. They were accompanied by several party leaders and activists, shared a meal, and spent the night there. Photos of the NCP leaders at the residence, which circulated on Facebook, have sparked widespread discussion and criticism.

The Jatiyo Party presidium member is veteran politician Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury. He hails from the Miah Bari in Bailchhari village of Banshkhali Upazila in Chattogram. He served two terms as a member of parliament from Banshkhali during the Jatiyo Party government and was also the first mayor of the Chattogram City Corporation. He was also widely known as a leader of the Awami League-led 14-party alliance, whose activities have since been banned.

Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury has remained out of the public spotlight since the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024.

Jatiya Party Secretary General Barrister Shamim Haider Patwary said, "Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury is a presidium member of our party. He is our most senior leader and a seasoned politician. We have great respect for him. However, he has not attended party meetings for a long time. We hope he will become active again."

Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury has come under criticism over the hospitality extended to the NCP leaders at the Miah Bari. After learning about the matter, Patwary said, "We will look into the issue on behalf of the party."

Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury claimed he had no prior knowledge of the NCP leaders' visit. He told Agamir Somoy, "This is not my house alone. It is a joint family home shared by six brothers. None of us live in the village anymore. In any case, no one informed me in advance that the NCP leaders would stay there. I learned about it only after they arrived. One of my younger brothers lives in the United States. I heard the NCP leaders contacted him and expressed their interest in staying at our house. He gave them permission."

"My brother is not involved with the NCP. I don't know how the NCP leaders got in touch with him. No one in our family is involved with the NCP either," Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury added.

Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury is one of six brothers. One of them, Raihanul Islam Chowdhury, lives in the United States. Hospitality arrangements for the NCP leaders at the Miah Bari were handled by Rahimul Ehsan Chowdhury Mithu, the son of their eldest brother, Oliul Islam Chowdhury Shukku Mia.

"They came, and we hosted them. I don't know who invited them or how everything was arranged," Mithu said.

NCP Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam and the party's Chief Organizer for the South, MP Hasnat Abdullah, arrived in Chattogram on Sunday morning to stand beside flood victims. After distributing relief throughout the day in flood-hit villages of Anwara and Banshkhali upazilas, they went to the Miah Bari in the evening.

A caretaker at the Miah Bari, Amin, said at least 10 other NCP leaders accompanied Nahid and Hasnat. "They all stayed overnight. We served them steamed rice, eggs, vegetables, beef, and chicken for dinner. They had breakfast in the morning before leaving," he said.

Abu Sayeed Mohammad Sujauddin, joint member secretary of the NCP central committee and the party's organizational secretary for Chattogram Division, also stayed at the Miah Bari. He said, "We did not know it was Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury's house. Some of our local organizers told us it belonged to one of their relatives and took us there. One member of the family lives abroad. They contacted him and arranged the stay. We simply spent the night there."

Ridwan Hridoy, office secretary of the Chattogram Metropolitan NCP, escorted the central leaders to the Miah Bari before returning to the city that night. He said, "Not every Jatiyo Party leader or activist is bad. Not every Awami League leader or activist is bad either. Likewise, are all NCP leaders good? Are all BNP leaders and activists good? We should move away from this culture of political division."