Delwar’s proposal to AL purely personal, says Hannan Shah
The crisis plaguing BNP has taken a new turn following pro-Khaleda faction leader also secretary general of the party Khandaker Delwar Hossain's proposal to archrival Awami League (AL) for launching a 'united movement to restore democracy in the country'.
BNP, already embroiled in a factional feud, slid into further chaos yesterday, when detained party Chairperson Khaleda Zia's adviser Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah came out strongly against Delwar's proposal to the archrival.
Talking to reporters in his Mohakhali residence in the capital yesterday, Hannan Shah said the proposal was 'purely a personal one, not based on any party decision'.
"No such decision was taken in any forum of the party," Hannan Shah added.
But the party's Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan, also a Khaleda loyalist, said Delwar put out the call after getting a green signal from the chairperson.
"This is not his own proposal, he followed the directive of the chairperson," Nazrul told reporters yesterday.
Meanwhile, Hannan Shah also criticised Delwar's recent actions of sacking a number party leaders and workers across the country 'ignoring the chairperson's clear instruction for not to bring any change in the party or expel anyone from the party'.
Party insiders fear that the latest development, in the already entrenched factional rivalry in the top echelon of the party leadership, might deepen the crisis in the coming days, putting the party in a very precarious situation ahead of the parliamentary election scheduled for the year end.
BNP is already divided into two factions, one led by Delwar while the other now is led by Maj (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed following the latter's erstwhile top leader former finance minister Saifur Rahman's public confession that he had no effective leadership in the faction, and the recent arrest of another major leader of the faction Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan. Hafiz is the acting secretary general of the faction which was formed in a controversial meeting of some BNP standing committee members in late October last year.
Delwar on Thursday put out a call to all political parties, putting emphasis on AL, for launching a united movement 'to salvage the country from the current deep crisis', even after AL had ruled out such a possibility just a couple of days ago.
Following Acting AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam's remark that his party will not enter into any joint movement with BNP and Jamaat, Delwar said, "For god's sake, say yes to unity in the interest of the people."
"We want unity to ensure election as it is not possible for any party to overcome the current crises alone. If the people vote for you [AL], you'll go to power and we'll sit on the opposition bench," Delwar added.
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