Former state minister for liberation war affairs Redwan Ahmed has resigned as secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and rejoined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), returning to his former political home.
He formally joined the BNP on Wednesday afternoon at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office, where he presented flowers to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Redwan Ahmed said he will contest the upcoming parliamentary election from the Cumilla-7 constituency, a seat the BNP had earlier been certain to leave for the LDP, although seat-sharing between the two parties has not yet been finalised.
He said most LDP leaders and activists across country are interested in reaching an understanding with BNP, adding that the BNP has also indicated it would leave several seats for the LDP.
However, he said LDP chairman Dr Col (retd) Oli Ahmed has not been able to agree with the BNP’s decision on seat-sharing, prompting him to resign from the LDP and join the BNP along with his followers.
Redwan Ahmed expressed hope that Oli Ahmed would eventually agree to a seat-sharing arrangement with the BNP, but said he would remain with the BNP even if such an understanding is reached with the LDP.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir described Redwan Ahmed’s return as “a son coming back home.”
Others present at the joining programme included BNP Standing Committee members Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku.
Redwan Ahmed was first elected to parliament in 1986 from the Jatiya Party and joined the BNP after being elected as an independent candidate in 1991, before later serving as state minister for liberation war affairs in the Khaleda Zia-led government in 2001.
He left the BNP in 2006 with Col (retd) Oli Ahmed to form the LDP.
