Dogged by intra-party squabbles and growing frustration over top leaders' indifference to party affairs, the BNP will hold 34 more district unit conferences ahead of its national council likely to be held sometime in January next year, party sources said.

The last national council of the party was held in 1993 and an extended meeting in 1996.

"The conferences in districts and thanas will infuse dynamism and forge greater unity in the party ending sluggishness and long-running feuds among its ranks," said a top BNP leader.

The party leadership had earlier fixed August 30 last year as deadline for completing formation of 75 organisational district committees but the leaders assigned to implement it failed to do so.

Pressed by the party high command, the leaders concerned then geared up their activities but the processes stagnated this year and there were virtually no oganisational activities in the past one year.

Party sources mentioned they had completed formation of new committees in 30 organisational districts by August 31 last year and 11 more committees till date. So, 34 district units do not have valid leadership as the tenure of old committees had expired.

They attributed this to various reasons like floods, the AL's April 30 deadline to topple the government and the recent grenade attack on an AL rally.

"We have now decided to complete formation of party committees in the rest 34 districts by December keeping in view the national council in January next year," said top leader of the party.

Constitution of thana unit committees is almost complete.

They party high command has asked leaders concerned to start committee formation in the remaining districts and thanas in the month of Ramadan and complete the process by December in any situation.

In case of failure to form fresh committees within the time to be fixed by the party soon, district unit leaders and other leaders concerned will be called to the BNP central office or Hawa Bhaban in Dhaka and committees will be announced instantly, said senior leader of the party.

Sources in the party attributed the stagnation in organisational activities to irregular holding of national council and conferences of local units. Most leaders at all levels are holding party posts even after the expiry of their tenure.

Khaleda Zia, who was elected BNP chairperson in 1997, still leads the party without any fresh mandate.

The party constitution lays down that the national council members will directly elect the party chairman for two years.

Hawa Bhaban, considered a nerve centre of the party, has long been pressing the district units to complete holding of their conferences by December. Party central leaders allege that important local unit leaders like presidents and general secretaries of district and thana units are reluctant to hand over leadership to others.

But grassroots level party leaders and activists allege their top leaders, including ministers and MPs, have remained virtually aloof from party activities since it took office in October 10, 2001.

Sources mentioned BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan had earlier given all joint secretaries general of the party division-wise responsibility to complete formation of district committees.