BNP to merge warring district committees

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will reduce the number of its district committees to streamline the organisation and erase intra-party conflict.

Currently the party has 75 units in 64 districts and efforts are on to bring down the figure to around 70 by merging more than one units in Chittagong, Barisal, Comilla and Mymensingh districts into one.

Of the districts, Barisal has three units -- Barisal city, Barisal north and south district committees -- and the rest two each.

Besides, efforts are on to defuse intra-party conflict in other districts, highly placed party sources said.

They said the decision to merge the rival units into one came following demands from local leaders and activists who felt intra-party conflict hobbled party activities and sapped its strength.

The BNP has already abolished its Narayanganj city committee and merged it with Narayanganj district unit.

Party joint secretary general Tareque Rahman has been given the responsibility to settle the organisational problems.

He is sitting with local leaders and legislators from Barisal at his Hawa Bhaban office this evening.

Hawa Bhaban sources hinted that the meeting would form a convening committee for the district, dissolving the three largely inactive units that have struck frustration into party rank and file.

A close aide of Tareque told The The Daily Star yesterday that plans were underway to merge the district units in Comilla and Mymensingh.

Party activities in 15 districts have been slackened by inner conflicts and Tareque has been given the responsibility to fix those, he said, requesting anonymity.

He said similar steps would also be taken to reshape quarrelling front organisation units.

A decision has also been taken to complete restructuring of all district and thana committees within the next month, he said.