District Correspondent, Sylhet: BNP Chairperson’s Advisor and former Mayor of Sylhet City Corporation, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, has suddenly traveled to London. Speculations are rife about the purpose of his visit.
Two narratives are circulating regarding Ariful’s London visit. One group claims that he has received a proposal to be appointed as the Administrator of Sylhet City Corporation. If he receives a “signal” from Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of BNP currently residing in London, he might accept the role.
The other group argues that Ariful has not received any such proposal. Instead, his primary intention is to express his interest in contesting the upcoming national parliamentary election from the Sylhet-1 constituency (covering Sylhet City and Sadar areas) under BNP’s nomination. To convey his interest, Ariful has traveled to meet Tarique Rahman in the UK.
Several close associates of Ariful stated that he has served two consecutive terms as mayor under BNP’s nomination and has undertaken numerous development projects in Sylhet. He has gained acceptance across different political affiliations. In the most recent Sylhet City Corporation election on June 21, 2023, many non-party voters pressured him to participate. However, despite being almost certain of victory, he chose not to run as an independent candidate because BNP boycotted the election under the then-Awami League government.
Supporters of the former mayor hope that his loyalty to the party by not participating in the election will earn him a nomination for either the next city corporation election or the national parliamentary election. Ariful has likely traveled to London to meet the acting chairman to gain clarity on which election he might be nominated for.
Currently, Ariful Haque Chowdhury serves as an advisor to BNP’s Chairperson. Previously, he was a member of the party’s central executive committee and a member of Sylhet District BNP. He has also served as the president of Sylhet Metropolitan BNP and the general secretary of Sylhet District BNP, having been a prominent leader of the student wing of BNP in his early days.
When asked about his sudden visit to London, Ariful said, “I came to see my granddaughter. Since I am in London, it is only natural that I will pay a courtesy visit to the acting chairman of the party.”
However, a senior leader close to Ariful, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that Ariful has already had a phone conversation with Tarique Rahman. Tarique, occupied with family matters due to Khaleda Zia’s presence, has advised Ariful to stay in London for a few days. Ariful is waiting to meet Tarique and will return to Bangladesh soon after the meeting. Only then will the details of their discussion be clear, making any prior assumptions speculative.
According to BNP sources, while Ariful enjoys significant public support, he also faces psychological distance and conflicts with several influential local BNP leaders. Additionally, there is uncertainty about whether he will be nominated for the national or local election. Ariful himself is reportedly in a dilemma, which is why many within the party believe he has gone to London to resolve these doubts.
Discussions with various BNP leaders and activists suggest that Ariful primarily wants to contest the parliamentary election. His first preference is the Sylhet-1 constituency. However, in the 11th National Parliamentary Election, BNP Chairperson’s Advisor Khondker Abdul Muktadir contested as the party’s candidate in Sylhet-1 and is also keen to run in the upcoming election. As a result, Ariful’s chances of becoming the candidate for Sylhet-1 are uncertain. There are talks within the party that he might be nominated for another constituency.
