Expelled 2 can rejoin party if they yield to Khaleda's lead
The BNP leaders loyal to Khaleda Zia yesterday said the party might consider reinstating the primary membership of those expelled if they want so accepting the command of Khaleda Zia.
"We will reconsider the matter if Mannan Bhuiyan in writing seeks the primary membership," Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah, an adviser to the detained chairperson, told the reporters yesterday.
Meanwhile, sources said a group of former lawmakers from Noakhali, Chittagong and Bogra have talked to newly appointed secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain over phone lately. Earlier, the same people had signed the joint statement against the expulsion of Bhuiyan.
An insider claimed that pro-Bhuiyan leader Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, who is also a standing committee member, is among those who have called Delwar.
Talking to The Daily Star, Mahbubur, however, denied having talked to Delwar. "It's no big deal even if we had talked since he is my party colleague," he added.
Khaleda Zia expelled Bhuiyan and joint secretary general Ashraf Hossain and appointed Delwar as the new secretary general the day before she was arrested on graft charges.
At a meeting Wednesday Bhuiyan and his allies rejected the expulsion orders.
The same day the BNP formally informed the EC about the changes in the party's line-up. It told the commission that the former LGRD minister does not belong to the party anymore and cannot represent it at any level.
Since then, the factions led by Bhuiyan and Khandaker Delwar continue to be at odds over establishing themselves as the mainstream.
Sources said both the groups have taken measures to hold council to ensure their control over the party. Bhuiyan faction wants to hold the council amid the state of emergency, but pro-Khaleda group wants it after withdrawal of the ban on indoor politics.
“We will announce schedule for the party council after the government lifts the ban,” Hannan Shah said yesterday.
Reiterating his claim that they still are the real BNP, the expelled secretary general yesterday told reporters, “We're the successors to late president Ziaur Rahman.”
“Through reforms we will mould the BNP into a more acceptable, powerful and pro-people organisation and most of the leaders and former lawmakers are with us,” he said adding that they are hopeful the party would bounce back to power through the next general election.
Meanwhile, Hannan Shah said the BNP has been free of 'garbage' through the expulsion of Bhuiyan and Ashraf.
He said that the party chief has expelled the two on his recommendations as both the leaders have been engaged in 'anti-party activities'.
Talking to reporters at his Mohakhali DOHS residence, he said, "Both were expelled on September 2, just before madam's arrest. We were however waiting for an appropriate time to do it through the council."
He said, “Our party chief has taken a right decision at the right time, and once again she proved herself to be an uncompromising leader.”
About the pro-Bhuiyan leaders' claim that by taking the "autarchic decision" the former prime minister has in fact showed how badly the party needs reforms, Hannan said Khaleda Zia had to make the decision all by herself as the country is now under the state of emergency.
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