BNP plans standing committee meetings every week

Revamping party activities

The high command of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is planning to hold a meeting of the members of its standing committee every week from August to revamp organisational activities and review the party’s strategies and policies, said party insiders.
The party’s top brass has seriously taken the recommendation, which came from some policymakers, advisers and senior leaders, said a source close to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
The chairperson responded positively to the recommendation of the party’s policymakers and assured them that the highest policymaking-level meeting would be held every week from next month. At least one meeting will be held a month, if it is not possible to hold it every week, the source added.
Sources said when the BNP’s acting secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, met the party chairperson, he, too, advised Khaleda Zia to hold standing committee meetings on a regular basis. He met Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan residence on July 15, a day after he was released on bail from the prison cell of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital after a six-month-long detention.
When contacted, BNP standing committee member Lt Gen. (retd) Mahbubur Rahman described this as good news, saying such frequent meetings of policymakers would be beneficial for the party. “Democracy should be practised more vigorously within the party. We hope at least one meeting will be held every month,” he said. The senior leader also observed that it would be more democratic for the party if any decision were taken after accommodating opinions from all central leaders.
According to the party’s constitution, the BNP chief may convey a meeting of the standing committee anytime, at his/her convenience, but at least one meeting should be held every three months.
However, records show that no standing committee meeting of the party has been held this year, even though around seven months have already passed. The last meeting was held on December 22 last year.
Adviser to the BNP chairperson, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, said though the party constitution lays down provisions for holding at least one meeting in three months, it was not possible to follow this rule this year because of the political situation in the country. “If free politics is not practised in the country, how can party meetings be held?” he asked.
Meanwhile, of the total 19 members of the standing committee, two are in jail; one of them, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, has been sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on charges of crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. Again, Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain is facing trial on corruption charges.
The party’s acting secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, also an ex officio standing committee member, and another member, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, were released just before the Eid.
At least three standing committee members—including Dr RA Ghani and M Shamsul Islam—are very ill. BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman, also an ex officio member of the standing committee, has been living in London after the 1/11 changeover.

 

BNP plans standing committee meetings every week

Revamping party activities

The high command of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is planning to hold a meeting of the members of its standing committee every week from August to revamp organisational activities and review the partys strategies and policies, said party insiders. The partys top brass has seriously taken the recommendation, which came from some policymakers, advisers and senior leaders, said a source close to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia. The chairperson responded positively to the recommendation of the partys policymakers and assured them that the highest policymaking-level meeting would be held every week from next month. At least one meeting will be held a month, if it is not possible to hold it every week, the source added. Sources said when the BNPs acting secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, met the party chairperson, he, too, advised Khaleda Zia to hold standing committee meetings on a regular basis. He met Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan residence on July 15, a day after he was released on bail from the prison cell of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital after a six-month-long detention. When contacted, BNP standing committee member Lt Gen. (retd) Mahbubur Rahman described this as good news, saying such frequent meetings of policymakers would be beneficial for the party. Democracy should be practised more vigorously within the party. We hope at least one meeting will be held every month, he said. The senior leader also observed that it would be more democratic for the party if any decision were taken after accommodating opinions from all central leaders. According to the partys constitution, the BNP chief may convey a meeting of the standing committee anytime, at his/her convenience, but at least one meeting should be held every three months. However, records show that no standing committee meeting of the party has been held this year, even though around seven months have already passed. The last meeting was held on December 22 last year. Adviser to the BNP chairperson, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, said though the party constitution lays down provisions for holding at least one meeting in three months, it was not possible to follow this rule this year because of the political situation in the country. If free politics is not practised in the country, how can party meetings be held? he asked. Meanwhile, of the total 19 members of the standing committee, two are in jail; one of them, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, has been sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on charges of crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. Again, Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain is facing trial on corruption charges. The partys acting secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, also an ex officio standing committee member, and another member, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, were released just before the Eid. At least three standing committee membersincluding Dr RA Ghani and M Shamsul Islamare very ill. BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman, also an ex officio member of the standing committee, has been living in London after the 1/11 changeover.