Khaleda doesn't recognise Saifur-led faction

Detained Chairperson of BNP Khaleda Zia appointed secretary general of the party, Khandaker Delwar Hossain, in an interview with the BBC yesterday said the party chief herself re-confirmed his appointment as the secretary general.
"Her daughter-in-law conveyed the message to me, as the party chief told her that I'm the only legitimate secretary general, and the newly formed committee led by Saifur Rahman is illegal," Delwar said.
A daughter-in-law of Khaleda Zia met her in jail on Thursday.
Rizvi Ahmed, acting office secretary of the party, known as a Khaleda loyalist, also said yesterday that the detained party chief declared Saifur-Hafiz committee as illegal and urged party leaders and workers to remain united under the leadership of her appointed party Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain.
"I came to know from a reliable source that Khaleda Zia termed the committee led by Saifur and Hafiz as illegal," he said while talking to reporters in his Adabar residence in the capital.
Saifur Rahman, acting chairperson of the party, last night held an exclusive meeting at his Gulshan residence to discuss the next course of action. Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin, acting secretary general of the party, were present among others.
Meanwhile, detained BNP chairperson's adviser, Birg Gen (retd) Hannan Shah, and National Standing Committee appointed Acting Secretary General of BNP Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed embarked on a competition of mudslinging yesterday over their alleged roles in the arrest of the party's founder, late president Ziaur Rahman, in 1975 and in his killing in 1981.
Both former ministers of Khaleda-led governments alleged each other of being involved in the arrest and killing of Ziaur Rahman.
Hannan Shah recently alleged that Hafiz betrayed the then army chief Ziaur Rahman on November 3, 1975 while being his personal secretary.
Rejecting the allegation Hafiz claimed that he had no role in the arrest of Zia as he had no soldier under his command at the time.
Accusing Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah of launching a smear campaign against him, Hafiz alleged, "It was Hannan Shah who was maintaining contact with Gen Manjur at the time and he was the one who negotiated with Ershad after the heinous killing of late president Ziaur Rahman, on behalf of the killer."
"I could not be involved in BNP politics if I had anything to do with the arrest of the founder of the party, and Khaleda Zia would not trust me with the charges of two ministries if the allegation was true," Hafiz said while talking to reporters in his Banani residence in the capital.
Hannan Shah also blasted Hafiz accusing him of falsehood and said, "I will quit politics if Hafiz can prove my involvement in Zia's killing".
"We brought his body to Dhaka from Rangunia in Chittagong and handed it over to the acting president," he told reporters in his Mohakhali residence in the capital adding that Hafiz should apologise for spreading falsehood and should give up politics too.
Referring to his conversation with a few NSC members, Hannan Shah said a few of the members told him that they had to attend the meeting in Saifur's residence on Monday night against their will, where they were forced to sign on to the decisions of the meeting.
"They told me that they were hijacked to Saifur's house and were forced to sign on a blank sheet of paper," he told the reporters.
Meanwhile, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, acting secretary general of Saifur-led faction of BNP, said the chairperson's decisions need to be approved by the NSC not the other way around, as the NSC is the highest policy making forum in the party.
"The standing committee brought a few changes to the party leadership on a temporary basis to keep the party united," he told the reporters adding that a party council will be held when the time is right, to establish a democratic process in the party.
Asked why they do not accept the decision taken by the detained party chief while they are saying that they will accept all her decisions if she is released, Hafiz said Khaleda Zia is the party chairperson, but she is in jail and the party runs according to its constitution, which made the NSC the supreme authority of the party.
He said the party is united under the leadership of Saifur Rahman although a few lower level leaders are making controversial speeches creating confusion about the unity.
"Some people who could not win an election and even could not arrange a meeting of a hundred people in their area, are now giving misleading statements regarding the affairs of the party," he quipped.