BNP's party fund unused in flood relief

Two groups of the BNP are conducting countrywide flood relief activities without using the party's relief fund.
"We have a relief fund...but this year we are distributing relief at our own effort because we do not want to use the fund as party activities are banned at the moment," BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan told The Daily Star yesterday.
"We also want to ensure transparency in using the party fund," he added.
BNP has a relief fund with Pubali Bank's Paltan branch in the capital to provide relief during the natural disasters, sources said. Two party leaders including Mannan Bhuiyan are authorised to operate the account.
According to sources, affluent people including businessmen and many organisations have donated money to the fund over the years.
But this year nobody donated money to help the flood victim, sources said adding the BNP also did not take any decision whether the party leaders will use money from the fund.
However, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan individually asked the party leaders to stand beside the flood-hit people.
Two groups of BNP are conducting relief operation among the flood-hit people separately.
The leaders loyal to Khaleda Zia led by her adviser Hannan Shah have so far distributed relief among the flood victim in Savar, Sirajganj, Tangail and Narayanganj.
Khaleda told the people over phone that she had sent Hannan to stand beside them.
While the leaders loyal to Mannan Bhuiyan have distributed relief among the distressed people at Maniknagar in the capital, Brahmanbaria, Narsingdi and Faridpur.
Mannan Bhuiyan however denied any division among the party leaders and said party leaders are distributing relief on behalf of the BNP.