Pro-Khaleda leaders go into hiding

Most of the pro-Khaleda BNP leaders have gone into hiding after the arrest of former lawmaker Moazzem Hossain Alal at his Lalmatia residence yesterday.
Those siding with Khandakar Delwar Hossain, secretary general appointed by Khaleda Zia, alleged the arrest is part of the government strategy to press-gang them into accepting the proposal of M Saifur Rahman, acting chairman appointed by the standing committee.
Recently, Saifur called on the Delwar-led faction to accept intra-party reforms and reinstate those expelled by the detained chairperson. In reply, Delwar asked the pro-reform group to cancel the decisions made at the standing committee meeting on October 29.
"This arrest shows how the government wants BNP to be in trouble," Delwar said in a press release yesterday.
He demanded immediate release of Alal, also general secretary of the party's youth front Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, and said such tactics would make things even more complicated.
Filing cases and arresting leaders contradict the government's claim that it is trying to reach an understanding with the political parties, he observed.
The BNP secretary general also protested Hannan Shah's detention just after release from Narayanganj jail Thursday.
Party insiders said most of the pro-Khaleda leaders have been staying holed up as they fear the authorities might make more arrests.
Meanwhile, another source said Delwar has lately been under pressure from the rank and file not to bring into the fold those, they believe, had attempted to split the party in the name of reforms.
"Arrests of Hannan Shah and Alal are nothing but pressure tactics," a former lawmaker told The Daily Star last night.