"The following persons will be considered disqualified for the membership of the national council, national executive council, national standing committee or any executive committee at any level or as party candidate in the national parliamentary election: persons convicted under criminal code, persons convicted under President's Order No. 8 of 1972, bankrupt persons, persons proven to be mentally unstable and persons known in society as corrupt or ill-reputed," says the BNP constitution.

Besides Tarique, other top BNP leaders now in detention and facing extortion, corruption charges include Standing Committee members Dr Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Vice-chairman Nazmul Huda, Tariqul Islam, immediate past prime minister Khaledia Zia's adviser Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, BNP chairperson's adviser ASM Hannan Shah, Joint Secretary General Mirza Abbas and Amanullah Aman.

Former state ministers Mir Nasir, Iqbal Hassan Mahmood, Salahuddin Ahmed, Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu and AKM Mosharraf Hossain, and former lawmakers Mosaddek Ali Falu, Naser Rahman, Ali Asgar Lobi, MAH Salim, Salahuddin Ahmed, Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu, Manjurul Ahsan Munshi and Abdul Gafur Bhuiyan have also been detained on charges of corruption and extortion.

Meanwhile, a special court yesterday sentenced Harris Chowdhury, joint secretary general of BNP and political secretary to the former prime minister, to three years in jail in a corruption case.

Investigation into cases filed against other leaders is going on.

Contacted last night, BNP Vice Chairman and former minister MK Anwar said this provision (concerning convicts) in the party constitution remains effective. " One will be disqualified to remain a member of party committees at any level if he or she is punished for corruption."

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, BNP Standing Committee Member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman said it is a very significant provision in the party constitution, and it will help clean the party of corrupt people.

"Leaders finally proved guilty will be automatically sacked from the party. There is no way for them to return to the party again. So, there is a scope to bring reforms in the party using this provision," he said.

Asked whether this provision would be amended if the detained leaders are convicted, Mahbubur Rahman, also former army chief, said he does not think so. "If any such move is taken, party leaders and supporters will not support it."

Replying to a query, the BNP leader said the party will have to follow its constitution as the Election Commission (EC) has made moves for electoral reforms.

The EC has already drafted proposals for making political parties' registration with it mandatory, and not allowing unregistered parties to contest parliamentary elections.

Sources pointed out that as regards prevention of corrupt people from contesting parliamentary polls, provisions in the BNP constitution appear more harsh than the relevant provisions in the country's constitution and existing laws.

The constitution of Bangladesh says that a person shall be disqualified for election as, or for being, a member of Parliament who is declared by a competent court to be of unsound mind; is an undercharged insolvent; acquires the citizenship of, or affirms or acknowledges allegiance to a foreign state; has been, on conviction for a criminal offence involving moral turpitude, sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years unless a period of five years has elapsed since his release.

But the BNP constitution provides that conviction (regardless of the length of jail term of the convict) disqualifies one as the party's parliamentary polls candidate. And it does leave any room for a convict to contest the election ever.