The AL chief on Tuesday proposed that central leaders above 60 will be accommodated in the advisory council of the party. Many of the pro-reform leaders opposed this saying there is no such precedent in politics of any country in the world.

"It might be a new tactic of Sheikh Hasina," a senior reformist leader told this correspondent.

Influential AL Presidium Member Amir Hossain Amu, who returned from Singapore on Tuesday night after about two months, yesterday opposed Hasina's views and said there should be no age limit in politics.

Another Presidium Member, Motia Chowdhury, told reporters yesterday that she supports Hasina's proposal. If it is implemented, age gap between senior and junior leaders will reduce and the party will run more smoothly, she added.

But Amu, who is considered a top reformist leader, said, "Sheikh Hasina can give such a proposal (age limit) if she does not want to remain in politics. As per her proposal, she cannot lead the party because she is already 60. However, the matter could be discussed at party forum."

Sources said Amu is back home only to lead the party team that will meet Hasina and hand over the 25-point proposal (formerly 21-point) now being finalised beyond Hasina's involvement.

Well placed sources in the AL said Amu is now examining the 25-point proposal prepared by his colleagues Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed and Suranjit Sengupta, who have virtually kept themselves away from Hasina for the last several weeks.

"We will hand over the proposals to Sheikh Hasina within four days. Our leader Amir Hossain Amu is now finalising those," said a pro-reform leader preferring not to be named.

Reformist AL leaders recently prepared the 21-point proposal and added two more points later. But two pro-reform leaders last night confirmed that finally they are going to make a 25-point proposal.

In an interview with The Daily Star recently, Hasina said one group of people should run the party and another set should run the government. And not only the party chief should be barred from becoming prime minister but all central committee office bearers should be barred from becoming ministers or state ministers.

Amu yesterday told reporters that reforms in the AL have become necessary in line with the caretaker government's move to free the country from corruption and influence of black money.

He said AL's constitution is very much democratic. But the party lacks practice of democracy within it. And they want to take the party out of such a situation, he added.

"If there is no accountability within the party, then how the people can expect that they [leaders] will be accountable to them," Amu said.

Asked about removing Hasina from the post of party chief, Amu said neither he nor anyone of the party has the right to remove anyone. All this will depend on the process of politics in future.

A close aide to Hasina Col (retd) Faruk Khan said proposals for reforms which have already come to light or would come later would be discussed by the AL Central Working Committee when the ban on indoor politics is lifted.

"After discussing all the proposals, we will finalise those and submit to the Election Commission. We will recommend to the EC to go for laws based on these proposals so that those become mandatory for all other parties," said Faruk.

Meanwhile, police did not allow party leaders to enter Hasina's residence Sudha Sadan from 2:00pm on Tuesday.