No doubt about Dec 8 BNP council

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has categorically said the national council of her party will definitely be held as per schedule on December 8.

The national standing committee, the highest policymaking forum of the party, on Sunday night reviewed the latest developments for the upcoming council. All the conveners of the sub-committees formed for the council were present in the meeting.

Insiders say they have completed 70 percent district councils and the policymakers will decide about what would happen to the rest.

They add the party will publish a voter list within a day or two on completion of all the process of district councils. The election commission of the party is set to declare the schedule to elect the chairperson this morning, they say.

Talking to reporters, Khaleda, also leader of the opposition, lambasted the government saying that the common people now cannot celebrate Eid due to a miserable state of law and order and socioeconomic condition as the government has failed to run the country properly.

"They could not do anything in the last 10 months. The ruling party men are busy with tender terrorism and corruption."

Asked about the national council of the party, she said, "The national council will definitely be held as per schedule and there is no scope to be confused about it."

She was speaking during a reception hosted by her on Saturday on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha at Ladies Club in the capital.

The BNP chief also accused the government of imposing section 144 to obstruct councils at grassroots level. "We arranged councils at grassroots level smoothly. But at the final stage the ruling party in a planned way is giving programmes at the same venue to create chaos and they are now blaming BNP for anarchy."

She also hinted to continue refraining from attending parliament, saying the government has polluted the atmosphere in parliament.

Khaleda, also former premier, warned the government that her party would be compelled to take to street if the government signs any agreement against the interest of the country.

She wished Eid greetings to the people and expressed deep condolence at the tragic launch accident on Friday night and prayed for eternal peace for the departed souls.

The BNP chief exchanged greetings with diplomats, political leaders, eminent citizens and people from all walks of life who attended the reception.

Meanwhile, the party completed only 70 percent district councils till yesterday, the last day of completing the district councils. Party high-ups will decide about the councillors of the rest of the district units.

A number of important units like Dhaka city and district, Bogra and Manikganj could not hold councils.

"We have held 70 percent councils to elect new committees at district level," Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, BNP office secretary, said while talking to reporters at party's Nayapaltan office yesterday.

"The district councils were being held amidst various barriers and opposition. The policymakers will decide about including councillors in the national council from those districts that failed to meet the deadline," he said.

"The subcommittees formed to arrange the national council are working hard to make it successful. On the last day yesterday, a number of central leaders were joining the district councils including those from Narail, north Mymensingh and Kurigram," Rizvi added.

Earlier, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, joint secretary general of the party, on Sunday said only the chairperson would be elected through direct vote of the councillors in accordance with the previous constitution of the party.

"The newly elected chairperson will present the national executive committee, including the new standing committee, before the councillors," he said, adding, according to the constitution, there is no provision for voting and there will not be any voting for those bodies this time.

The BNP leader said if the constitution is amended in the council session, the amended constitution will be followed from the next council. But this time the council will be held according to the existing constitution.

An election commission has already been formed led by the party's senior leader Justice TH Khan that will conduct the election of chairperson.

Khaleda Zia succeeded the then chairman Justice Abdus Sattar in 1983 and the position has been renamed chairperson since then. She was re-elected in the September 1, 1993 council.