‘Taking sides in other parties’ internal disputes goes against principles’: AB Party suspends Cumilla convener over Jamaat office clash
AB Party suspends Cumilla convener after allegations linked to Jamaat office disruption
Bdbusinessdaily.com – Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party has suspended its Cumilla unit convener, Golam Mohammad Samadani, amid allegations connected to vandalism outside a Jamaat-e-Islami office in the city. The party announced the temporary suspension on 15 October, one day after a meeting at the Jamaat Cumilla city unit office was disrupted and a vehicle parked nearby was damaged.
The disciplinary action places Samadani’s party membership and leadership role under review. AB Party has also asked him to explain why he should not face permanent expulsion, making clear that the suspension is an interim measure rather than a final ruling.
A notice issued in the evening and signed by central office secretary Advocate Abdullah Al Mamun Rana stated that AB Party supports political civility, tolerance and respect between political groups. It said participation in, or alignment with, another party’s internal disagreement would conflict with those principles.
Party cites political conduct and internal discipline
Although the formal notice did not set out detailed grounds for Samadani’s suspension, the move followed accusations that he may have become involved in a dispute within Jamaat’s Cumilla city unit. The case has drawn attention because it concerns alleged interference in the affairs of another political organisation, alongside claims related to damage at the Jamaat office premises.
AB Party also called on leaders and activists throughout the organisation to exercise caution and responsibility. The message signals that the party considers conduct beyond its own internal activities relevant to its disciplinary standards, particularly where political tensions or disputes involving other parties are concerned.
Mia Mohammad Toufiq, convener of AB Party’s Cumilla district unit, said Samadani had been relieved of his responsibilities temporarily for more than one reason. The issues included alleged criticism of AB Party through social media as well as suspected involvement in the vandalism that occurred during the Jamaat meeting.
Toufiq said the notice served on Samadani formed part of the party’s decision-making procedure. The process gives the suspended leader an opportunity to respond before any determination is made on whether he will remain in the party.
Samadani denies being at the location
Samadani rejected the allegation that he was present when the incident happened. He said he was elsewhere in Cumilla at the relevant time.
I was at Cumilla Tower at the time.
His statement directly disputes the allegation of physical involvement in the disturbance. The available information does not establish a final finding by AB Party on his role, and the party’s show-cause notice leaves the matter open pending his explanation.
The distinction is important because the party has not publicly specified the exact basis on which it believes Samadani may have been connected to the incident. Its notice instead frames the case around broader standards of political behaviour, respect and non-involvement in other parties’ internal conflicts.
Meeting disrupted, car damaged outside office
The episode at the centre of the controversy took place on the evening of 14 October, when Jamaat’s Cumilla city unit was holding a meeting to form a new committee. Several youths entered the office during the gathering and interrupted the proceedings before leaving the site.
As they departed, a vehicle parked outside the office was vandalised. The car belonged to Mahabubur Rahman, secretary of Jamaat’s Cumilla city unit. CCTV footage from the area shows a masked youth using a sharp weapon to damage the vehicle.
Kazi Din Mohammad, Ameer of Jamaat’s Cumilla city unit, confirmed that young men disrupted the meeting and that a vehicle was damaged. Jamaat is examining the incident as part of its own inquiry.
The disruption occurred during a committee-formation meeting, a process that is central to local party organisation. Such meetings determine leadership arrangements and can carry considerable importance for activists and office-bearers at the city level. The incident therefore has implications beyond property damage, since it interrupted an internal organisational event.
A dispute with implications for local political norms
AB Party’s response focuses not only on the allegations surrounding a single leader but also on the conduct expected of political activists when disputes arise elsewhere. By referring to decency, tolerance and reciprocal respect, the party has presented the suspension as a question of organisational principle.
The notice also underscores that local political tensions can quickly become matters for party leadership when they involve social media activity, competing claims of involvement and allegations of disruption at another group’s office. In this case, the available accounts include both the party’s stated concerns and Samadani’s denial that he was at the scene.
For now, Samadani remains suspended from his role as Cumilla unit convener while the party considers his response. Jamaat’s examination of the office incident is also continuing. The separate internal processes will determine whether further action follows against any individual connected to the disruption or the vandalised vehicle.
The case has brought renewed focus to accountability within local political organisations. AB Party’s leadership has indicated that its members are expected to avoid involvement in conflicts within other parties, while Jamaat’s Cumilla city unit is investigating what happened during the meeting and outside its office.
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