Party sources said the proposals include expulsion of corrupt persons including her son Tarique Rahman from the party and ensuring intra-party democracy and transparency in its functioning.

Initially, the reformist leaders will ask Khaleda to expel Tarique Rahman and other corrupt ones after the ban on indoor politics is withdrawn. If she does not do so, they will then give her a deadline to meet this demand.

The leaders however believe the BNP chief will refuse to expel her detained son, Senior Joint Secretary General of the party Tarique, party insiders said.

In such a situation, Khaleda might face a challenge to her leadership as the reformist BNP leaders are planning to run the party without her, the insiders said.

"Senior reformist leaders have reached a consensus on reforms in the party and reorganising it, leaving out Khaleda Zia, if she fails to accept their reform proposals," one of the leaders said seeking anonymity.

Asked about this, former BNP lawmaker Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul, who is known to be very close to party Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, said party leaders have reached a consensus on reforms, and a formal announcement in this regard might come once the ban on indoor politics is lifted."

BNP Standing Committee Member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman told The Daily Star that Khaleda Zia should quit party leadership as she could not run the party in a democratic manner and was involved in unlawful practices to run the party as well as the country.

Party sources said Khaleda is aware of her party leaders' initiative for reforms, and she expressed concern over it while discussing the matter with a standing committee member on Wednesday.

Goyeswar Chandra Ray, joint secretary general of the BNP, met Mannan Bhuiyan and urged him resolve party problems through discussion with Khaleda. Bhuiyan however kept mum, sources said.

Pro-reform BNP leaders rallying around party Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan are also trying to rope in leaders loyal to Khaleda Zia, the sources pointed out.

Most of the senior leaders of the party including Mannan Bhuiyan, Jamir Uddin Sircar and Mahbubur Rahman expect a retirement announcement from Khaleda as, they believe, she would not have her son out from party. And they identified this as the main obstacle to bringing the party on the right track.

"She [Khaleda] will get no support from party leaders if she fails to accept reform proposals and tries to use the party platform to protect corrupt persons like Tarique Rahman," said a senior BNP leader.

"Mannan Bhuiyan might run the party but he may lose interest if arrest of field level leaders continues," he added.

Reformist leaders held a series of meetings in the last few days to finalise reform proposals, and they agreed that it is tough to implement those under the leadership of Khaleda. But they wanted to give her a last chance by placing the proposals to her for implementation, the leader pointed out.

"If Khaleda Zia fails to understand the reality, then we may go for a new party or we may run BNP without her. The decision would be finalised once the ban on politics is lifted," said another BNP leader.

Sources said a section of reformists have already contacted former finance minister Saifur Rahman and Speaker Jamir Uddin Sircar to take charge of the party if Khaleda retires.