M Ilias Ali

Ilias/ Ilyas Ali is a Bangladeshi politician and a former member of the Jatiyo Sangshad (Bangladesh Parliament. [1].

Education

Ali did his primary education from Ramdhana Govt. Primary School. He passed his SSC in 1977 from Ramshundor Pilot High School, Bishwanath Upazila. And passed his HSC in 1979 from Sylhet Govt. College. He graduated B.Com (Hons) from Dhaka University in 1985 from department of Finance.

Political career

He hails from Bishwanath Upazila and represent Sylhet-2 in parliament.He was also a student leader of Dhaka University during 1980s. He started his political career by joining Jatiyotabadi Chatrodol (JCD) which is student wing of Bangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP). He was elected International Affairs Secretary of JCD in 1986. Then he became General Secretary of JCD in 1992 by the councilors.In the election of 2001 he participated and won that election by a difference of approx. 49000 votes.[2] As he was elected organizing secretary of Bangladesh Nationalist Party(B.N.P), 1st January, 2010. And he got a grand reception from his own district Sylhet on 14th January at the historical place of Sylhet Registry Field.[3] In the 5th national council of Bangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP)which was held in 8th december, 2009. M. Ilias ali gave the speech as president of Sylhet disctrict BNP.And he was the first speaker of the 2nd session of close door sitting. In his speech he motivated 3000 councilors to give authority to chairperson of BNP Begum Khaleda Zia for electing the leadership of the party and it was accepted unanimously by the councilors. He also proposed the leadership promotion of Tarique Rahman and it was also accepted unanimously by the councilors.[4] Ilias Ali quoted that " If Ex British Priminister Tony Blair & American president Barack Obama and Ex President Bill Clinton can achieve the leadership of their countries by the age of 40/45, why not Tarique Rahman".[5] He was praised by the councilor for his great speech.

Rivalry

In the year of 2006, there was a leadership conflict for sylhet BNP between the influential finance minister of BNP govt. M. Saifur Rahman and Ilias ali. At a stage of this conflict Saifur Rahman demanded to prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia the expulsion of Ilias Ali.

Meanwhile, in an interview with a private television channel last evening, Saifur said, "I have already placed 11 national budgets and another is coming next week...I do not want to continue and this may be the end of my innings." "I have told the prime minister that I want to resign. It cannot go on that the young boys in the party should hurl abuses at me or disrespect me," Saifur was quoted earlier as saying in his interviews with the TV channels and newspapers. Ilias Ali's supporters, however, termed such demonstrations and Saifur's resignation threat a strategy to put pressures on the BNP high command. "The resignation threat is just a strategy to put pressure to ensure Ilyas Ali's expulsion," said a BNP leader of Sylhet. "Saifur Rahman is worried about his son Naser Rahman's future in the party and considers Ilias an opponent in the district's party politics," he added. That situation was really embarrassing for Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. [6]

The fierce rivalry between BNP lawmakers Saifur Rahman and M Ilyas Ali finally compelled the ruling party to dissolve the convening committee of its Sylhet district unit. Though the party dissolved the committee led by Ilias, it also limited the influence of veteran finance minister Saifur in party politics in the district. Party lawmakers from Sylhet will now coordinate organisational activities in their respective consistencies, and thana BNP leaders in cooperation with central leaders will do the job in the areas that do not have party lawmakers- a BNP press release. "No lawmaker will interfere in party activities in areas other than his constituency," it added. A BNP leader told The Daily Star that the party action would go in favour of Saifur but at the same time the senior leader will have no scope to interfere in BNP politics in Sylhet. Party sources said Saifur was so angry with his junior rival Ilias that he wanted to avoid National Economic Council (NEC) meeting on health grounds. "The prime minister telephoned Saifur Rahman and assured him of taking steps to resolve the crisis". "I have informed the prime minister about my grievances and she has assured me of looking into the matter," Saifur told reporters after the NEC meeting. He said this when asked about his reported threat to resign if the party did not take punitive action against Ilias.

When contacted, Ilias said he had talks the BNP chairperson on organisational matters in Sylhet district. He declined to comment on discord with Saifur.

Earlier on May 28 last year, Sylhet BNP convening committee was suspended in the wake a spate of discord between loyalist of the two leaders.

In the latest conflict, some activists reportedly backed by Ariful (loyal to Saifur) ransacked the residence of Ilias at Sylhet on Wednesday following his reported remarks on the finance minister.

The rival sides clashed in the city next day and activists backed by Ilias demonstrated against the finance minister, blaming him for the attack on Ilias' house.

Aggrieved at this, Saifur threatened to resign unless action was not taken against Ilias Ali. [7] Lastly Begum Khaleda Zia and other senior leaders of the party didn't agree with saifur's proposal. And Ilias Ali was not expelled from the Party.