BNP advisers feel ignored in party reorganisation

The 18-member Advisory Council for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is yet to be engaged in the party's reorganisation process creating a sense of isolation among a large section of party leaders.
BNP is set to hold a national council to elect its leaders at different levels on December 8 but party Chief Khaleda Zia has not formally discussed the matter with the Advisory Council members.
Of the advisers, two are working as district conveners while the rest remain almost unattached with party activities.
Exploiting the situation, a group of 10-12 pro-BNP professionals including journalists and businessmen are out to play the role of a think tank for the party creating resentment among party activists, BNP insiders said.
"Any well-wisher can organise a group but he or she should not use the name of the party or the chairperson for personal gains," said a senior BNP leader wishing anonymity.
According to the BNP constitution, the chairperson can have 15 advisers equivalent to the status of party vice president to give her suggestions on special issues.
However, the chairperson has the right to increase the number of advisers to be nominated by the party chief and treated as member of national executive committee.
Commenting on the advisers' role in the reorganisation process, an adviser to the chairperson and former BNP minister for two terms, said, "Ask the big leaders of the party because we don't count."
Advisory Council members Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan and Syed Hasan Ahmed declined to comment on the issue.
Another adviser Harun-Al-Rashid, also former state minister, said the chairperson sits with them at her will.
He said the party chief sat with them to discuss various issues during the tenure of the last caretaker government.
Informal meetings between the chairperson and her advisers are held often but the issue of national council has not been discussed, he added.
Officials at BNP central office said the chairperson now has 18 advisers with the nomination of Maj Gen (retd) Ruhul Alam Chowdhury, former adviser to a caretaker government, on October 1.
Other advisers are Harun-Al-Rashid, Tahmina Khan Dolly, Mosharraf Hossain Shahjahan, Shahjahan Omar, Jamiruddin Sircar, M Morshed Khan, Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah, Maj Gen (retd) ZA Khan, Reaz Rahman, MA Hakim, Mushfiqur Rahman, Enam Ahmed Chowdhury, Maj Gen (retd) Mahmudul Hasan, Harun-or-Rashid Munnu, Moeen Khan, Mofazzal Karim, and Syed Hasan Ahmed.
Of them, Mosharraf Hossain Shahjahan, Maj Gen (retd) ZA Khan, MA Hakim, Enam Ahmed Chowdhury and Mofazzal Karim sided with expelled BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan during the tenure of the last caretaker government.
Harun-or-Rashid Munnu recently told The Daily Star that he is no longer active in politics.
Hannan Shah and Mahmudul Hasan are now working as conveners of district committees of Gazipur and Tangail.
The BNP chairperson's Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan Sohel said apart from the advisory council, the party chief has a few more personal advisers including chairperson's defence and security adviser Maj Gen (retd) Fazle Elahi Akbar.