BNP undecided over joining budget session

The main opposition BNP is yet to decide upon its joining the budget session of parliament that starts Wednesday, as the party leaders are split over the issue.
BNP insiders said a group of leaders insist on waging an anti-government movement while others want to see the party active in and outside parliament.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, senior joint secretary general of the party, yesterday told The Daily Star, “BNP's parliamentary party will sit soon to finalise the decision.”
Lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, member of the party's standing committee, however said party lawmakers have started to submit their notices for the upcoming session, as the party did not take any decision to boycott it.
BNP attended the last session of parliament and staged a walk-out on April 4, just a day before the session ended.
Party Chairperson Khaleda Zia on May 19 announced a set of agitation programmes as a 'warning message' to the grand alliance government.
The party will observe countrywide dawn-to-dusk hartal on June 27, stage demonstrations on June 17 and a mass sit-in on June 9.
Talking to The Daily Star, Zainul Abdin Farroque yesterday said, “We are not paying attention to parliament, as we are now busy making our agitation programme a success.”
Rebutting Farroque's statement, Salauddin Quader said Farroque has no authority to make such comment. “It's true we are in movement but we also can use parliament to gear up for agitation against the misrule of the present government.”
MK Anwar, another member of the standing committee, said the decision is not final yet. The environment is not in their favour due to the aggressive behaviour of the ruling party men including the prime minister.