Khaleda issues stern warning

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia last night made it clear that there would be no change in the newly formed convening committee of the party's Dhaka city unit.

She warned that tough action would be taken if any party member creates obstacles to the activities of the BNP's crucial chapter.

“We have formed the new committee with hopes of strengthening the party and preparing it for anti-government agitation,” a BNP leader quoted Khaleda as saying at the meeting of the new committee at Khaleda's Gulshan office in the capital.

Khaleda's warning comes in the wake of growing rift between the new convener of BNP's Dhaka city unit Mirza Abbas and its Member-Secretary Habib-un-nabi Sohel.

The BNP chief said all party leaders and activists are keeping their eyes on this committee. And the success of anti-government agitation would greatly depend on the Dhaka city unit.

“You all have to work unitedly forgetting all differences,” the BNP leader quoted the party chief as saying.

It was Khaleda's first meeting with the leaders of the new committee formed on July 18.

No press briefing was held after the two-hour meeting that started at 9:00pm. Abbas, Sohel and other party leaders refused to talk about the meeting.

However, several leaders, who were present at the meeting, talked to The Daily Star on condition of anonymity.

They said Khaleda asked the committee leaders to form all ward and thana units in the capital as soon as possible.

The new committee couldn't start work even 19 days into its formation following a feud between Abbas and Sohel.

Abbas and some party leaders strongly opposed making Sohel member-secretary. Over the last four days, they held a series of meetings with Khaleda and pressed her to either remove Sohel or curtail his power.

Party insiders said Khaleda on Monday night agreed to reduce Sohel's power but later retracted her position under pressure from her elder son Tarique Rahman.

At yesterday's meeting, she said nobody's power in the committee would be increased or reduced.

“You all have to work with this committee,” a BNP leader quoted her as saying.