Khaleda focuses on party, combine unity

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is now focusing on maintaining unity in the BNP and the party-led alliance at any cost, “thwarting attempts to split the party and the combine” ahead of the next parliamentary elections.

Party leaders fear the government may try to split the BNP and the 20-party alliance if Khaleda is convicted in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. The verdict in the case is scheduled to be delivered on February 8.

Meanwhile, the BNP amended its charter, dropping Article 7 which stipulated that no one can stay in a party committee if he or she is convicted by a court.

The amendment was made to foil any attempt to split the BNP if the party chief is convicted, said party sources.

Upon approval by the party's highest policymaking body -- the standing committee --, a BNP delegation led by committee member Nazrul Islam submitted the amended charter to the Election Commission yesterday afternoon, they added.

Earlier on Saturday, Khaleda held a meeting with the party's standing committee members, and also sat with the alliance leaders last night. At both the meetings, she repeatedly urged her party men as well as alliance leaders to remain united at any cost in the coming days.

“Madam [Khaleda] listened to us but did not say anything about waging an anti-government movement. She rather stressed the need for maintaining unity at any cost,” a BNP standing committee member told this correspondent, seeking anonymity.

Moudud Ahmed, member of the party's standing committee, said, “There may be an attempt to split our party, but that attempt will surely fail...”

Referring to past events, the former law minister said those who had made attempts to split the party were later dubbed government agents, and their political careers abruptly came to an end.

Earlier on Thursday, the Dhaka Special Court-5 fixed February 8 for pronouncing the verdict in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case against Khaleda and five others.

Apart from the BNP chief, many other leaders of the party have been accused in scores of cases.

At Saturday's meeting, the BNP leaders said they would not contest any polls if Khaleda is kept out of the electoral race. At the same time, they also advised against going for any tough programmes like hartal right now.

The leaders discussed strategies and steps like voluntary imprisonment, boycott of the national polls and agitation if Khaleda is convicted.

The party will finalise its strategy after holding a series of meetings with its leaders at different tiers as well as the alliance partners.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, senior joint secretary general of the BNP, said the party's national executive committee will hold a meeting on February 3 and the venue would be finalised soon.

Khaleda would take opinions of the grassroots leaders on the future course of action as this year is very crucial because of the upcoming national election.

This will be the first meeting of the 502-member committee since its formation in 2016. It, however, was supposed to sit twice a year.

The committee is comprised of the standing committee members, advisers to the party chief, vice-chairmen, organising secretaries, assistant organising secretaries, joint secretaries and district-level senior leaders.

At the meeting with 20-party alliance leaders last night, Khaleda asked them to remain united in the coming days to deal with any situation.

Seeking anonymity, an alliance leader said they had assured the BNP chief that they would not leave the alliance regardless of the situation.

Several other combine leaders told this correspondent that Khaleda urged them to get prepared for anti-government programmes, and that they will be informed about it at the right time.

On July 3, 2008, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the graft case with Ramna police accusing Khaleda, her elder son Tarique Rahman, now in the UK, and four others for misappropriating over Tk 2.1 crore that came as grants for orphans from Kuwait through a foreign bank.

“We would like to say if any unjustified verdict is given against Khaleda Zia, we will initiate a movement to ensure the fall of the government,” BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said at a discussion at Dhaka Reporter's Unity.

“All senior leaders are ready to get arrested voluntarily if the chairperson is sent to jail unlawfully,” he added.

Issuing a note of warning, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, another BNP standing committee member, said, “Do you [the government] think we will only shed tears if you send Khaleda Zia to jail? We will not weep, rather we will ensure your fall.”

On the other hand, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader came down heavily on his BNP counterpart Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir for his comments on the case against Khaleda.

He alleged that Fakhrul has already committed contempt of court by issuing a threat of not accepting the verdict in the case.

“The court should take the issue into cognisance,” Quader said.