BNP central body
Some new faces draw flak
Rafiqul Islam Azad
Baring a few, most of the new BNP leaders inducted in the central committee have been accepted by the partys rank and file, according to BNP insiders. Several senior leaders opined that party chairperson Khaleda Zia had picked up the new inductees from tested and responsible leaders by considering their roles in past movements in line with the expectations of BNP leaders and activists. Some of them said 80 per cent of the leaders, including the partys secretary general, was appointed on the basis of merit. They, however, questioned the appointment of the rest 20 per cent of leaders. Of the seven joint secretaries general, one has been termed as newcomer as he joined the party as late as in 2008 and another was said to be inactive during the partys previous agitation for holding elections under a non-party government. Some party leaders also expressed surprise over the inclusion of a new comer as a joint secretary general while dropping a senior organising secretary from the ranks of the joint secretaries general. Many of them questioned the appointment of an organising secretary and two assistant organising secretaries from leaders of the BNPs Chittagong city committee. Some leaders also criticised the appointment of a young leader as an organising secretary by creating a new organisational division and appointment of relatives of some party leaders as assistant organising secretaries, including the son of a standing committee member.
A senior leader said, on condition of anonymity, that some of the new appointees did not reflect the aspirations of the party rank and file. Eighty per cent appointments were appropriate, but the rest 20 per cent was not, he added.
Another leader said some appointments were made because of family connections and not on the basis of party politics. Talking to The Independent, standing committee member Lt Gen (Retd) Mahbubur Rahman said those appointed in the central committee were leaders of quality. The appointments were good, but it could have been better through inclusion of more dedicated and tested leaders, he added. He expressed hope that the dedicated and those who suffered repressions and imprisonments would be accommodated in the central committee in future.
Senior leader Md Shajahan said the party chairperson has rightly appointed energetic and dynamic leaders in the central committee, respecting the sentiments and aspirations of party leaders and activists. The new leaders emerged through movements and struggles as well as through their efficiency and sincerity in carrying out party activities. It does not matter who is senior and junior in politics, he added.
Shajahan further said it was seen that some leaders had failed to carry out their responsibilities, but some others took responsibility on their own and proved their quality of leadership. The leadership does not emerge automatically, it has to be achieved, he added.
Newly appointed joint secretary general Moazzem Hossain Alal said the councillors have unanimously given the responsibility to the party chairperson to appoint party leaders and she did so by using her own experience. There is nothing that is cent per cent appropriate. If there is any deviation, it will be accommodated finally, he added.
The former Jubo Dal leader said one should not be aggrieved for not getting a desired post, but the aim should be to determine to achieve the demand to hold the polls under a non-partisan government.
Another joint secretary general Khairul Kabir Khokan said the BNP chairperson has definitely evaluated the dedicated and tested party men in appointing the leaders for the central body. No one has expressed any reaction over the appointments so far and all have accepted them, he added.
The BNP high command, which was given the responsibility by the party councillors to appoint the central body leaders, has so far appointed 40 central leaders in three phases following the partys March 19 council. Of them, 33 new faces have been chosen for the central boy, while only seven leaders were taken from the existing committee. The party chairperson has appointed new secretary general, senior joint secretary general and treasurer in the first phase on March 30, seven joint secretaries and nine organising secretaries on April 10, and one organising secretary and 20 assistant organising secretaries on April 18. Party insiders said the names of vice chairman and advisors, and members of the standing committee would also be announced in phases from both young and old leaders.
