The outspoken lawmaker from Rajshahi who recently in separate interviews with the media blamed a section of his party colleagues for patronising the Islamist militants however will not lose his membership in parliament.

"Abu Hena is now an independent lawmaker. There is no possibility of losing his parliament membership as he did not violate party's decision or cast vote against the party," Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar told journalists at his office, explaining the constitutional provision.

A BNP press release yesterday evening said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has expelled Abu Hena, a lawmaker from Rajshahi-3, from the party and cancelled his primary membership for violating party discipline and tarnishing its image.

In his instant reaction to the party decision, Abu Hena said the expulsion proved that the government and the BNP want to establish the rule of militants in the country. "The leaders who support the rise of militants have expelled me from the party," he said.

Sources said the BNP chairperson and prime minister took the decision to axe Abu Hena from the party in an apparent bid to defuse the grievances of its alliance partner Jamaat-e-Islami, which is blamed for its alleged link to the militants.

The BNP chief called party General Secretary Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan a couple of days ago to her office and discussed the issue relating to Hena's comments.

Yesterday, the PM summoned Post and Telecommunications Minister Barrister Aminul Haq, who is also the minister in charge of Rajshahi and Naogaon districts, to her office and asked for his opinion about Hena's allegations against him.

The BNP policymakers did not discuss the issue in a formal meeting but the party chairperson was learnt to have talked to a number of senior leaders about the issue. The leaders reportedly suggested taking drastic action against Hena.

The top leaders of BNP told the party chief that if the high-command goes lenient about the issue now, the party may face further dissidence in future.

Party insiders said BNP expelled Abu Hena under the pressure of Jamaat-e-Islami as the lawmaker has annoyed the Islamist party through his remarks.

Abu Hena in his interviews said the activities of Islamist militants spread across the country after the Jamaat-e-Islami came to office in 2001 as a coalition partner of BNP. The lawmaker also said the Jamaat-e-Islami has reduced the dominance of BNP.

A highly-placed source in the BNP said grievances and difference of opinions among the rank and file of party leaders are rising on the militant issue. Four MPs from Chittagong, greater Jessore and Rajshahi are aggrieved at the matter, he said.

Other sources in the party said a section of BNP leaders, known to be the liberal group, believes Jamaat is responsible for the rise of militant outfits in the country.

They also hold a number of ministers responsible for patronising Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai and his men in Rajshahi region last year.

Former bureaucrat Abu Hena, who joined BNP on May 3 in 1996 after retiring from government service, was elected MP twice from Rajshahi-3 constituency, defeating the AL candidate by huge margin on both occasions.

Talking to The Daily Star last night, the lawmaker said he would launch a campaign across the country against the militants. "I am not alone. The countrymen who do not believe in militancy are with me," he said.

In the last parliament, rebel BNP lawmaker Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman lost his membership for joining parliament ignoring the party decision.

Speaker Jamiruddin Sircar said Akhtaruzzaman had violated the party decision and joined parliament when the then opposition BNP was boycotting the House.

"But Abu Hena did not violate the party's decision. His membership from parliament could have been vacated if he resigned from the party. But he did not resign," the speaker said.

"He has been elected by people and he is still a member of parliament," Sircar said.

The speaker said he has not received any letter from the BNP seeking his directive to vacate the membership of Abu Hena.