Nationalist Citizens' Party (NCP) leader Sarjis Alam has tried to explain how he managed to organise a convoy of 100 vehicles for his visit to his home district Panchagarh, where he looks set to seek his party's nomination for a parliamentary seat.
Responding to a Facebook post by Tasnim Jara, another leader of NCP, Sarjis attributed it to his family's generosity, particularly the inheritance left behind for him by his grandfather.
In his Facebook status, he said, "More than half of the vehicles were arranged voluntarily by my family members, relatives, friends, and well-wishers from the district, and we did not bear the expenses for those. For the remaining 50 vehicles, we paid approximately Tk 3 lakh, with each vehicle costing Tk 6,000. My family had the financial capacity to afford this even 50 years ago. I firmly believe that with what my grandfather left for me, I can even manage my election campaign without external support, Inshallah."
The chief organiser (North) of NCP also distinguished between online discourse and on-ground political realities. "Without demonstrating manpower and resources, one cannot sustain in electoral politics. Even ordinary people will not take you seriously, as people naturally gravitate towards power. While we must work towards change, we cannot completely discard the existing political mechanisms overnight. The right time to do so will come."
Earlier, Tasnim Jara, senior joint secretary of the National Citizen's Party (NCP), raised concerns over the entry of Sarjis Alam into his home district, Panchagarh, with a convoy of over 100 vehicles.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Jara urged Sarjis to provide a clear and acceptable explanation to the public regarding the event. She emphasised that such transparency would further strengthen the party's image among the people.
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She wrote, "I am writing this letter as a political worker of our party, on the basis of our party’s principled stance and commitment to transparency. Recently, the entry of a large convoy of over 100 vehicles into your home district has understandably raised some questions among the public."
Quoting Sarjis, she said, "Not long ago, you publicly stated, ‘I have no money at the moment. I am living on loans. That is the reality. I don’t even have a wallet in my pocket.' Your simple lifestyle had deeply impressed us and made our struggle more relatable to the public."
She further questioned how such a large event could be organised, asking about its funding and management. "Given this context, it is natural for people to question how such a large event was possible. How was it financed and managed? Our party, which has pledged to create a new political culture based on transparency, honesty, and accountability, must provide clear and reliable answers to these questions."
"I hope you will consider this matter with sincerity and provide a clear and acceptable explanation to the public. I believe this will further strengthen our party’s image among the people,” the status read.
Judging by people's reactions so far, the public are not quite convinced by the explanation Sarjis gave. Some are questioning how he could ever be penniless (not even carrying a wallet) with such generational wealth running in his family.
Others are befuddled at NCP leaders' tendency to carry on having discussions that look best-suited for internal party platforms on social media.
Some are even suggesting it is a deliberate tactic on their part, and that Jara and Sarjis planned their exchange in advance.