Despite the political upheaval that followed the student-led uprising and the ouster of the Awami League government, critics say the country’s political culture may not have changed significantly.
Within BNP, senior leaders say most key decisions are now effectively concentrated in the hands of the party’s chairman, Tarique Rahman. Those decisions have ranged from selecting parliamentary candidates to forming the cabinet and appointing administrators to city corporations and district councils.
Several senior BNP leaders, speaking to TIMES of Bangladesh on condition of anonymity, said the party’s highest policy-making body is its National Standing Committee. While the chairman regularly holds formal and informal meetings with committee members, they say many decisions are ultimately left to him.
One senior leader said that, unlike previous elections, the party did not sell nomination forms or formally invite applications from potential candidates.
Traditionally, aspiring candidates purchase nomination forms and are later interviewed by a nomination board headed by the party chief. According to party constitution, the National Standing Committee functions as the nomination board.
However, in the recent election, party insiders say Tarique Rahman relied instead on confidential nationwide surveys conducted by a small number of individuals and organisations to identify potential candidates.
According to party leaders, he then contacted selected candidates directly—often by phone or through messaging apps—to inform them of their nomination and instruct them to begin preparations.
Later, several senior leaders were tasked with holding meetings in constituencies with other interested candidates. But, according to those present, these meetings largely served to persuade others to support the nominee already selected.
Sources also say there was little internal discussion within the party about the composition of the cabinet after BNP secured a large parliamentary majority. Instead, they said leaders left the matter to the party chairman.
Similarly, party insiders say the selection of the speaker and deputy speaker of parliament was not debated within the Standing Committee. However, on the eve of the first parliamentary session, Tarique Rahman sought opinions from some senior members during a meeting of BNP lawmakers.
The appointment of administrators to city corporations and district councils was also decided by the party chairman, according to several leaders. They added that a small group of close associates was consulted in some cases.
Some BNP leaders say the decision to centralise authority was partly intended to avoid past allegations of “nomination trading” involving influential leaders when decisions were taken collectively.
At the same time, several senior figures within the party have emphasised the need to maintain a clear distinction between the government and the party organisation. They warn that if the two become indistinguishable, the party’s organisational structure could weaken over time.
Some leaders have suggested that ministers should be replaced in party posts by other leaders to ensure the organisation remains active. However, party insiders say the Standing Committee has yet to hold a formal discussion on the matter.
Veteran BNP leaders point out that during previous BNP governments formed in 1991 and 2001, party chairperson Khaleda Zia frequently consulted senior colleagues before making major decisions. In some instances, they say, she even revised decisions after hearing their views.
One BNP leader warned that if decision-making becomes concentrated in one individual, the party’s chain of command could weaken. In such circumstances, he said, junior leaders may bypass senior figures and focus instead on gaining the attention of the party chief.
This dynamic, he added, can also create opportunities for close associates of the leader to wield disproportionate influence, potentially isolating the leadership from both the party organisation and the wider public.
Former ministers within the BNP say that when party structures weaken relative to the government, bureaucratic institutions—both civilian and military—may gain greater influence in policymaking. That, they argue, can widen the gap between the government and the public.
Several BNP leaders believe a similar dynamic emerged within Bangladesh Awami League before it lost power.
They say that although the party once consulted senior leaders in decision-making, over time authority became increasingly concentrated in the hands of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, eventually distancing the government from both the party and the public.
TIMES has reached out multiple senior policy makers of BNP for comments.
