Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, acting secretary general of Saifur Rahman-led BNP, yesterday said he would be the first one to oppose any proposal that seeks to depose Khaleda Zia from party leadership.He, however, said a council of the party can decide if anyone needs to be expelled from the party and if Khaleda's expulsion is proposed at the council, he would oppose the attempt. "There is no reason to oust Khaleda Zia from the party as she made lots of sacrifices for the party," Hafiz said at a press briefing at his Banani residence adding that he hoped that the chairperson would be freed through legal process.
Hinting at pro-Khaleda leaders, Hafiz said a few leaders are trying to cling on to politics by using the name of Khaleda Zia. "Some lower level leaders are issuing misleading statements to destroy the unity and image of the party."
Brushing off the reports of Khaleda conveying through her daughter-in-law that she did not recognise Saifur Rahman as acting chairperson and himself as acting secretary general, Hafiz said, "She is in jail. So she is not in the capacity to comment on political affairs in the presence of jail authorities."
Nevertheless, Khaleda Zia can rest assured that leaders and workers of the party are united under her leadership, he said adding that the standing committee of the party has appointed him as acting secretary general to organise and lead the party to power.
Osman Farruk, Ashraf Hossain, ZA Khan, Mofazzal Karim, Zahiruddin Swapan were present among others.