Bangladesh: Profile of high-ranking BNP official Syed Adul Khaleque, especially his alleged December 1998 defection to the AL, and on any conflict with political opponents; names of and information of any of Khaleque's sons; and whether high-profile opposition officials or former high-profile opposition officials can seek effective redress in the courts
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 16 September 1999 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | BGD32759.E |
| Reference | 5 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Bangladesh: Profile of high-ranking BNP official Syed Adul Khaleque, especially his alleged December 1998 defection to the AL, and on any conflict with political opponents; names of and information of any of Khaleque's sons; and whether high-profile opposition officials or former high-profile opposition officials can seek effective redress in the courts, 16 September 1999, BGD32759.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ad4358.html [accessed 8 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Research Directorate was unable to obtain information on a BNP official named Syed Adul Khaleque, although there are several references to BNP official S.A. Khaleque.
Khaleque, 68, was elected MP from Mirpur for four terms (The Independent 25 Dec. 1998a; Dhaka Courier 1 Jan. 1999a, 10), was a former deputy mayor (The Daily Star 25 Dec. 1998), and was appointed Joint Convenor of the Dhaka City BNP on or about 22 December 1998 (The Independent 25 Dec. 1998a).
In the morning of 24 December 1998 Dhaka city BNP leader S.A. Khaleque formally joined the Awami League (AL), along with Ismail Hossain Benu, Ward Commissioner of the Dhaka City Corporation (#2 for Pallabi, Mirpur) (The Independent 25 Dec. 1998a; The New Nation 26 Dec. 1998; The Daily Star 25 Dec. 1998; Dhaka Courier 1 Jan. 1999a, 11). However, later that same evening, Khaleque stated publicly at a Khaleda Zia-hosted party for journalists that he had been "coerced" into joining the AL by the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) (The Daily Star 25 Dec. 1998; The Independent 25 Dec. 1998a; Dhaka Courier 1 Jan. 1999a, 11). Khaleque stated that the DGFI had been trying to convince him to defect to the AL since either 19 November 1998 (The Independent 25 Dec. 1998a; The Daily Star 25 Dec. 1998) or 16 December 1998 (Dhaka Courier 1 Jan. 1999a, 11; The Independent 27 Dec. 1998). The DGFI denied Khaleque's statements as "totally untrue" (ibid., 26 Dec. 1998b). Khaleque reportedly feared for his personal safety and, since he found his residence in Mirpur under police guard (ibid. 25 Dec. 1998; The Daily Star 25 Dec. 1998), went into "hiding" shortly thereafter, possibly at the home of a top BNP leader (ibid. 27 Dec. 1998; The Independent 26 Dec. 1998; Dhaka Courier 1 Jan. 1999a, 11).
Ward Commissioner Ismail Hossain Benu who had defected with Khaleque, however, refuted Khaleque's claims of forced defection to the AL, stating that they had both joined the AL voluntarily without any pressure from any government agency (The Independent 26 Dec. 1998a; The New Nation 26 Dec. 1998). Benu stated that both Khaleque and he had explored the possibility of joining the AL for the previous three months and had talked with various AL officials, including local AL MP Kamal Ahmed Majundar (ibid.; Dhaka Courier 1 Jan. 1999a, 11). Benu added that after they had joined the AL, Khaleque had repeatedly thanked Majumdar for his assistance in helping him join the party (The New Nation 26 Dec. 1998; The Independent 26 Dec. 1998a). Benu also stated that Khaleque had asked the Prime Minister for a "respectable job" or "an appropriate employment opportunity" for his son Faruque (Farook), who was pursuing a PhD in the US (ibid.; The New Nation 26 Dec. 1998). Moreover, Benu added that Khaleque had "repeatedly urged" the PM for his own "rehabilitation into politics" (The Independent 26 Dec. 1998a; The New Nation 26 Dec. 1998). Benu noted that despite the PM's assurances of looking into the matter, Khaleque "looked frustrated and pale as he was not given any concrete assurance for any post by the PM" (The Independent 26 Dec. 1998a; The New Nation 26 Dec. 1998).
Moreover, AL MP of Mirpur, Kamal Majumdar, also denied Khaleque's allegations, telling UNB that Khaleque had beenlobbying to join the Awami League for [the] last two months" (The Independent 25 Dec. 1998b). Majumdar stated that upon his request, he had taken Khaleque to the Prime Minister's office and after Khaleque had joined the party, had driven him back to his [Khaleque's] residence (ibid.). Majumdar alleged that during the ride home, Khaleque had "requested him to convince the Prime Minister to appoint him Deputy Mayor of the Dhaka City Corporation" (ibid.).
In a hand-written fax issued from the BNP central office, Khaleque denied both Benu's and Majumdar's statements (The Bangladesh Observer 27 Dec. 1998; The Independent 27 Dec. 1998; The Daily Star 27 Dec. 1998), describing them as "false, fabricated and baseless," (The Bangladesh Observer 27 Dec. 1998) and a "total lie" (The Independent 27 Dec. 1998). Khaleque also accused the DGFI of "play[ing] the game to tarnish his image socially and politically" (The Bangladesh Observer 27 Dec. 1998).
The seven-party opposition alliance "strongly condemned the government's deliberate attempt to induct BNP leader SA Khaleque into its fold" (The Independent 28 Dec. 1998). Various BNP officials also protested Khaleque's "hijacking" by the AL and the alleged role of the DGFI in the affair (The Independent 26 Dec. 1998).
According to The Daily Star, AL MP Majumdar accused his party colleague Dhaka Mayor Mohammad Hanif of "staging the Khaleque drama" in order to teach him (Majumdar) a lesson and to possibly replace him with Khaleque (27 Dec. 1998). Reportedly "some ruling party insiders" supported Majumdar's allegations against Hanif (ibid.).
Commenting on Bangladesh's political scene, M.M. Rezaul Karim wrote in the Dhaka Courier that
One is well aware that to change parties by political leaders and workers is a common phenomenon and should be accepted as such. The Awami League's policy, unfortunately, has been akin to a combined policy of persuasion, temptation and, as many alleged intimidation. The defection of two BNP MPs and their induction into the "consensus" government a few months ago is a glaring example of the ruling party's efforts of sticking out carrot policy.
The dramatic episode involving SA Khaleque also appears to be a sequel to the Awami League's past mode of action necessitated by the advent of a Mayoral election (1 Jan. 1999b, 19).
In another article in the same issue of the Dhaka Courier, Fazal M. Kamal wrote of the AL's success in winning over a number of opposition politicians, and remarked that the AL would feel a stronger need to do so with the "upcoming" mayoral elections (1 Jan. 1999c, 22).
Media sources have described S.A. Khaleque as "the controversial politician from Mirpur" (The Daily Star 25 Dec. 1998), and as a "power-hungry politician" (The Daily Star 27 Dec. 1998).
According to The Daily Star, "Better known for frequently changing his political colour, Khaleque had been with the BNP during the rule of the late President Ziaur Rahman. He later joined General Ershad's Jatiya party. He returned to the Khaleda Zia-led BNP after the Ershad government had been overthrown" (The Daily Star 25 Dec. 1998).
The UNB described Khaleque in a 25 December 1998 Independent article as follows: "Khaleque, who has a reputation for changing political colour always in favour of the party in power, who was a BNP MP in the 1979 Parliament. He crossed over to the Jatiya Party and became MP during Ershad's time" (The Independent 25 Dec. 1998a).
The Daily Star of 27 December 1998 reported AL MP Kamal Majumdar as stating that "since AL returned to power two-and-half years back, many Awami Leaguers in Mirpur became beneficiaries of Khaleque's illegal land-grabbing. And these people were all for the rotten politician whose transporters are used for smuggling phensidyl in the capital." Additional and/or corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted.
The Research Directorate found brief references to two of Khaleque's sons, namely Faruque (Farook) (The Independent 26 Dec. 1998a; The New Nation 26 Dec. 1998) and Latif (The Daily Star 27 Dec. 1998).
No information on whether high-profile opposition officials or former high-profile opposition officials can seek effective redress in the courts could be found within the time constraints of this Response.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
The Bangladesh Observer/News from Bangladesh [Dhaka]. 27 December 1998. "Khaleque Terms Statements of Kamal, Benu as False."
The Daily Star [Dhaka]. 27 December 1998. "2 AL Leaders at Odds Over Khalque."
The Daily Star/News from Bangladesh. 25 December 1998. "Khaleque Joins AL, Then Says He Was Hijacked; High Drama as BNP Man Hops Both Ways."
Dhaka Courier [Dhaka]. 1 January 1999a. Vol. 15, No. 23. Rashed Chowdhury. "Politics: Hideous Drama."
_____. 1 January 1999b. Vol. 15, No. 23. M.M. Rezaul Karim. "Politics: Political Turncoats: Tales of Hopes and Pathos."
_____. 1 January 1999c. Vol. 15, no. 23. Fazal M. Kamal. "Commentary: Time to Ponder."
The Independent [Dhaka]. 28 December 1998. "Govt's Role in Khaleque Drama Draws Fire."
_____. 27 December 1998. "Khaleque Protests Benu's Remarks."
_____. 26 December 1998a. "Benu Terms Khaleque's Statement Baseless, Says No One Forces Us to Join AL."
_____. 26 December 1998b. "Khaleque's Remarks Totally Untrue, Says DGFI: Stop Using Secret Service for Political Purpose: Mannan."
_____. 25 December 1998a. "Drama at Iftar Party: Where Does the Truth Lie? He Joins AL in the Morning; In the Evening He makes a Complete Volte-Face."
_____. 25 December 1998b. "Awami League's Denial."
The New Nation. 26 December 1998. "None Forced Me & Khaleq to Join AL, Says Benu."
Additional Sources Consulted
Asian Survey [Berkeley, Calif.]. Bi-monthly. January/February 1999.
Dhaka Courier. Weekly. 25 December 1998-8 January 1999.
Handbook on Election Reporting. 1995.
Historical Dictionary of Bangladesh. 1996.
Human Rights in Bangladesh. Yearly. 1997, 1998.
Research Directorate. IMR [Ottawa]. Weekly. November 1998-March 1999.
Resource Centre. "Bangladesh" country file. November 1998-present.
State of Human Rights in Bangladesh. Yearly. 31 January 1995, 31 January 1996, 6 April 1997.
Statistical Pocketbook of Bangladesh. Yearly. January 1995, January 1997.
Electronic sources: Internet, IRB Databases, NEXIS.
