Moulvibazar, Jan 19 (V7N) — In Borolekha upazila of Moulvibazar district, allegations have surfaced that some opportunistic former Awami League leaders are being reintegrated into the BNP following the fall of the Awami League government. Locals claim that these leaders have attempted to switch political allegiance to BNP, drawing significant attention and criticism.
 
Among those under scrutiny is Mizanur Rahman Mizan, an American-based former Awami League leader. Upon his return to Bangladesh, he reportedly led a large motorcade as a BNP leader, sparking debate across the upazila. Mizan, who previously addressed a public gathering under the patronage of former Minister Shahabuddin during the Awami League tenure and claimed him as his ideological leader, now appears to have assumed a leadership role in BNP. He is also known to have had a close relationship with former Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid.
 
Locals note that Mizan’s political lineage includes his elder brother Zillur Rahman, an active Awami League leader in the United States, and their late father Durga Shafiq, who served as organizational secretary of the Borolekha Upazila Awami League and later as an advisor before his death. Videos of Mizan addressing gatherings in New York during the previous Awami League government, referring to Awami MP and Minister Shahabuddin as his leader, have gone viral on social media.
 
During his recent return to Bangladesh from the United States, Mizan reportedly organized a high-budget motorcade, presenting himself as a BNP leader. Reports indicate that he is not the only former Awami League leader involved; several others previously aligned with Awami League have appeared at BNP rallies and meetings in Borolekha and the wider Moulvibazar area. Local activists allege that some senior party figures benefit from the involvement of wealthy and influential former Awami League leaders, fueling further discontent among grassroots BNP members.
 
Ahead of the national elections, these “hybrid” returnees from the United States have reportedly been mobilized to campaign for BNP candidates in various constituencies, holding prominent positions and engaging closely with central and expatriate leaders. Many have been seen sharing photos with top BNP officials on social media, intensifying the controversy.
 
The presence of Mizanur Rahman and other former Awami League figures in BNP has triggered widespread resentment among rank-and-file BNP leaders and activists in Borolekha, with criticism and protests emerging on social media and other local platforms. The situation highlights growing tensions within the party as the national elections approach, raising questions about loyalty, opportunism, and the influence of expatriate leaders in domestic politics.
 
END/RIM/AJ/