BNP retracts expulsion of 8 dissident leaders

BNP has withdrawn expulsion orders on its former standing committee member and minister Chowdhury Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui, and seven other reformist and dissident leaders.

The party has also restored the membership of its former Chandpur MP and the district's BNP president SA Sultan Titu, who quit the party a few years back.

Party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the announcement at a press briefing at BNP's Nayapaltan central office yesterday.

The seven other leaders are: former BNP minister and BNP education affairs secretary Alamgir Kabir; former whip and party chairperson's adviser Shahidul Haque Jamal; former whip and party executive committee member Abu Yusuf Mohammad Khalilur Rahman; the party's ex-office secretary Mafiqul Hasan Tripti; Tangail's Bashail upzila unit BNP ex-president Enamul Karim Atol; former Faridganj upazila BNP ex-president Abdul Mannan of Chandpur; and Feni's Sonagazi upazila unit BNP ex-joint general secretary Habib Ullah Parvej.

Of them, Alamgir Kabir, Shahidul Haque Jamal, Abu Yusuf and Mafiqul Hasan Tripti are known as “reformists” for their role during the 1/11 government in 2007.

They were expelled from the party as they, together with party's then secretary general Abdul Manna Bhuiyan, took position against the party, seeking rigorous reforms.

In 2011, Chowdhury Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui was expelled from BNP as one of his sons made derogatory remarks against party chairperson Khaleda Zia.