Ghani for clean-up move in BNP

BNP Standing Committee member Dr RA Ghani has said the party should conduct an internal "cleaning" operation and if anybody is found guilty, they should not be in the forefront.
Asked if the convicted leaders can continue with the party, Ghani said this but pointed out that these convicted leaders did not get the chance to defend themselves.
In an exclusive interview with The Daily Star, the BNP leader admitted that his party made many mistakes while in the government.
"There were chances for working for more development of the country. Many good laws could be formulated as we had two-thirds majority. But we did not take those chances. So, what benefit the two-thirds majority brought for us?" he said.
He said the activities of Hawa Bhaban should also have been controlled.
"I went there only when the chairperson called me to attend a meeting after the election. Otherwise I would not have believed Hawa Bhaban existed," he said.
Ghani, however, mentioned Hawa Bhaban's "fantastic" and "appreciable" role in collecting constituency-based data and monitoring party lawmakers' activities.
About the proposed meeting between Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, he said there is no negative side to the meeting and it may rather bring something good.
Ghani has played a vital role for the Khaleda-led BNP in the days following the imposition of the state of emergency.
Replying to a question, he said there is a possibility of post-election violence if people fail to cast their votes in a free and fair manner.
He said he thinks that the Election Commission's initiative to bring qualitative changes in politics will not succeed.
About his presence in the controversial meeting of the BNP Standing Committee at party leader Saifur Rahman's house on October 29 last year, he said he was invited over for tea only. He claimed that he was forced to sign on a blank paper there.
"I went there being invited for tea. We were asked to sign on a blank paper. Although we discussed a few issues, I told them that the meeting had not been convened properly. But we were asked to sign the paper," Ghani said.
A few people beyond the party were present at that meeting, he added.
Read More...