BNP finds way to end Dhaka row

The BNP high command decided to nominate a senior leader as convener of the Dhaka city convening committee, which is to form a fully-fledged BNP city committee by holding a city BNP council. The convener would not be allowed to be part of the city committee.
BNP Vice-president MK Anwar or BNP Chairperson's Adviser Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah may be picked as the convener, said party insiders. BNP wants to reorganise the city unit and hold the city council by the end of this year.
Hannan Shah, also an adviser to the chairperson, said, "There are many qualified persons like me in the party to lead it in the capital."
MK Anwar, however, said that he is not interested in such matters and that he knows nothing about it.
Party insiders said the chairperson to put a cap on the conflict between rival BNP leaders Sadeque Hossain Khoka and Mirza Abbas, who are desperate to bag the post of convener, made the decision to appoint a senior leader as city convener.
The party, earlier, was almost ready to announce a convening committee with DCC Mayor Khoka as the convener.
While talking to The Daily Star a BNP leader yesterday said, "As far as I have heard, a new leader who will be acceptable to all BNP factions in the city may be picked as convener of the city committee."
He also said the new convener will be responsible only to form the fully-fledged city committee by holding a city council accommodating all the factions in the process.
Party leaders said some leaders of the party suggested that the chairperson nominate a fresh but senior leader as convener. Khaleda liked the idea and later the names of former ministers MK Anwar and Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah came up.
They said the chairperson might pick any of the two.
Asked whether he is interested to lead the party in the capital, Hannan Shah said it is the jurisdiction of the chairperson to nominate anyone for any post and he will give his opinion when and if she asks.
Sources said following conflicts between Khoka and Abbas, chairperson Khaleda Zia talked to them to ease the tension before announcing the city committee. At one stage she decided to announce the committee with Khoka leading but the leaders who back Abbas strongly opposed it.
The BNP chairperson also took opinion from the senior leaders including the members of the standing committee on September 5 when most of the leaders suggested that Khoka be made convener.
BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain had strongly opposed the idea.
Later some other influential leaders including Salauddin Quader Chowdhury stood against Khoka, which delayed the announcement, and spread the internal conflict.
Meanwhile, the BNP chairperson talked to the party's much-talked-about leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and asked him to refrain from making any controversial remarks on party activities. SQ Chowdhury Sunday night met chairperson Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan office.