BNP moves to restructure party wings

The BNP is going to bring changes to the party's national standing committee and associate organisations, say party insiders. 

On advice of her elder son and BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman, party Chief Khaleda Zia, now in the UK, has finalised the names of future presidents and general secretaries of the party's front organisations, including Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal and Krishak Dal.

The names are likely to be announced upon Khaleda's return to Dhaka from the UK next week, the sources told The Daily Star.

The two top leaders had discussions on holding BNP's sixth council in December and the next course of action to force the Sheikh Hasina-led government to hold a fresh election under a non-party administration.

The party's future depends greatly on the outcome of the meetings between the two, who will decide the strategy to overcome the party's current situation, the worst since its birth in 1978, according to the sources.

BNP high-ups believe the move to restructure the party will boost morale of party men, who are frustrated over the BNP-led 20-party alliance's failure to force the government to hold elections under a non-party administration.

The 18-member BNP standing committee, the highest policy-making body of the party, is in a sorry state.

Its members Khandaker Mosharrof Hossain, MK Anwar and Salauddin Quader Chowdhury are behind bars. Mosharrof has been accused in several corruption cases and Anwar in an arson attack case. Salauddin was sentenced to death by the International Crime Tribunal-1 in October 2013.

Besides, committee members Rafiqul Islam Mia and Mirza Abbas remain inactive while RA Ghani, M Shamsul Islam and Tariqul Islam have been absent from committee meetings for poor health for the last couple of years.

Another committee member Tarique Rahman has been staying in London since 2008.

Talking to this correspondent, some central and grassroots BNP leaders said they were doubtful about any positive outcome of the meetings between the two top party leaders.

They said Tarique had played a controversial role in the party's recent anti-government movement that began on January 6.

Wishing anonymity, one of them said it was Tarique who misled the party, and advocated carrying out violent demonstrations during the movement.

Echoing the view, several other BNP leaders said the party earned a bad name at home and abroad due to the violent protests that ultimately weakened the movement.

A number of BNP men told this correspondent that Tarique was still surrounded by his peer groups, who exerted influence at Hawa Bhaban, known as the alternative powerhouse of then BNP-led four-party government from 2001 to 2006.

They said the latest move to restructure the party would have no positive impact if Tarique remained biased as in the past in picking candidates for crucial posts in the party.

“It will be another setback for the party if madam [Khaleda] fails to fulfil party men's expectations,” said the president of a BNP district unit, seeking anonymity.

Khaleda left the country for the UK on September 15, and has been staying at Tarique's East London residence.

The party said she went to the UK to have treatment for her eyes and knees, and celebrate Eid-ul-Azha with her family members there.

The BNP chairperson was supposed to return home on October 2. But her return will be delayed by several days, as her treatment is yet to be completed, said Sayrul Kabir Khan, a staff at the BNP chief's media wing.

Last month, the Zia family reunited in London for the first time in seven years since 2008 when Tarique and his younger brother Arafat Rahman Koko, along with their family members, left the country.

Since then, Tarique has been living in London. Koko initially stayed in Thailand and then moved to Malaysia in 2010.

On January 24, Koko died of heart failure at his rented house in Kuala Lumpur. Last month, his wife and two daughters moved to the UK from Malaysia and decided to settle there.