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| Bangladesh |
| BNP high-ups rubbish leadership change claim |
| 2007-04-22 |
| At least 100 former ministers, lawmakers and leaders of BNP yesterday expressed solidarity with Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and described a group's claim to bring changes in the party leadership as part of a conspiracy and divisive policy. After a series of informal discussions with party leaders, Mannan Bhuiyan yesterday said Brigadier (retd) Hannan Shah's claim that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was planning to bring changes in all tiers of the party, including the post of secretary general, is a "misleading propaganda". Meanwhile, BNP sources said intra-party feud over controlling the leadership after Khaleda's departure has taken a serious turn as she may leave the country at any time without giving any formal direction to her leaders and workers. Hannan Shah, former jute minister and adviser to the BNP chairperson, told a private television channel on Friday that the BNP chairperson would overhaul the party and remove its secretary general. Claiming to have visited Khaleda that afternoon, he said she had planned to clean up the party and its front organisations and equip them with honest and efficient leaders. "If necessary, the BNP secretary general might be changed," Hannan said, adding, "The secretary general's activities since the state of emergency was imposed are not in favour of the party." He also said Khaleda told him that she is unwilling to leave the country. "Why will I leave the country?...I am ready to face the trial if I have done anything wrong," Hannan quoted Khaleda in the TV interview. Sources also said a group of leaders already took initiative to control the party just after Khaleda's departure and that is why they have started campaigning against the party's present leadership. A few former ministers and leaders are waiting for the appropriate moment to vie for party leadership, dropping Mannan Bhuiyan and his followers in the way to reorganising the party, the sources added. |
| Posted by:Fred |