BNP assessing equation in redrawn constituencies

BNP is assessing whether it will be affected or not due to the re-demarcation of parliamentary constituencies, and collecting reports on organisational activities across the country.
Party insiders said six teams headed by senior party leaders are now evaluating the fresh delimitation while some of those are facing difficulties in different areas due to intra-party feuds.
The teams are also trying to identify the districts where BNP would be affected by the re-demarcation of constituencies.
The Election Commission redrew the boundaries of 133 out of the 300 constituencies, and a gazette notification containing demarcation of all the constituencies was published on June 10.
Meanwhile, the High Court (HC) stayed effectiveness of the gazette notification following a writ petition challenging it, filed by former BNP lawmaker Abdul Mannan. His petition is one of three similar petitions filed on Aug 6.
The HC will deliver its verdict on it on Sunday.
BNP leaders believe the re-demarcation will harm BNP as it decreased the number of parliamentary seats in some districts traditionally known as BNP strongholds.
“The fresh delimitation will affect many of our seats in different districts including Dhaka, Manikganj, Gazipur and Satkhira,” BNP chairperson's adviser Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah told The Daily Star yesterday.
Of the six evaluation teams, Tanbir Ahmed Siddiky and Nazrul Islam Khan jointly lead the team for Dhaka Division, former lawmaker Abdul Mannan heads the team for Sylhet Division, Selima Rahman heads that for Barisal, Sarwari Rahman leads the one for Khulna and RA Ghani heads the team for Rajshahi Division.
District level and other grassroots leaders of BNP have been asked to submit organisational reports to the teams outlining the weaknesses of the party committees and those of its front organisations, and also giving suggestions for strengthening those.
These teams are also collecting the names of party leaders and workers who were arrested by law enforcers or killed by political opponents since promulgation of the state of emergency in January last year.
They are also trying to assess the party strength from ward level to district level by holding meetings with district unit leaders.
Sources said party leaders in some districts including Barisal, Joypurhat and Bagura engaged in clashes even in front of the central leaders. A group of party leaders in Barisal also brought out procession against the team led by Selima Rahman.