One year of BNP council

Leaders get ‘frustrated’ as most decisions unimplemented

The BNP has not been able to fully implement most of the decisions taken at the last national council a year ago. This has left the party rank and file frustrated, according to party insiders. Reorganisation at the grassroots level is going on at a slow pace, and the party is facing problems to complete the task even after issuing letters and setting deadlines repeatedly. This is because of internal feud and interference of influential quarters within the party, said the insiders. However, senior party leaders are happy with the progress made after the national council.
At its council held in Dhaka on March 19 last year, the BNP decided to reorganise the party at the grassroots level, introduce the “one leader one post" policy, form subject-wise committees and a research cell, and publish the amended charter of the organisation. Talking to The Independent, senior party leaders acknowledged that most of the council decisions had not been implemented, as party leaders were on the run as they had been implicated in false cases, and an adverse political situation was prevailing. The party has been successful in achieving almost 50 per cent of its target to reorganise the party during the last one year, the leaders claimed. They expect that all the decisions taken at the national council could be implemented before the next general election. The party high command has given a reminder to the senior party leaders to implement the council decisions in phases, said the leaders. The BNP had announced that the largest ever 502-member national executive committee would be constituted in three phases in four months of the council. But two posts have been lying vacant in the 19-member standing committee since its formation, while another post fell vacant after the death of Brig. Gen. (Retd) ASM Hannan Shah since September 28 last year. The BNP could not implement its decision to form subject-wise sub-committees. The party has still not taken any initiative to form such committees.
The party has also failed to fully implement its decision to ensure the “one leader one-post” policy. Although most of the leaders have resigned from additional posts, many are still holding more than one post, said party sources. The BNP could not print its amended party charter even in one year and form a research cell as per the decision of the council, the sources added. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said they are happy with the progress made so far, even after facing scores of false cases filed against them. “The party has turned around a lot following the sixth national council,” he added. Fakhrul said the party is carrying out different activities, including reorganisation at the grassroots level, as per the decision of the council. He termed fixing of the “2030 vision” at the council as a major achievement. Standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain also echoed the party secretary general, saying that they are happy with the achievements amid a controlled democratic atmosphere and limitations following the last council. “However, we are not fully satisfied as we could not achieve the optimum level due to the controlled democratic situation in the country,” he added. He said organisational activities have increased as party leaders and activists are more active now. Replying to a question, Hossain said most of the council decisions have been implemented and the rest would be implemented in phases.
He also said most of the leaders with more than one post have resigned. The BNP leader said though the party constitution had not been printed, the party is carrying out its activities in line with the amended constitution. Vice-chairman Mohammed Shajahan said the BNP has turned around after the national council as new leadership was inducted at the district and upazila (sub-district) levels. He also said a large number of tested and dedicated new leaders have emerged in the posts of general secretary and organising secretary, with the party implementing the “one leader one post” policy. Replying to a question, Shajahan said 10 to 12 leaders holding more than one post are yet to resign. He added that the amended party charter would be printed soon.

One year of BNP council

Leaders get frustrated as most decisions unimplemented

The BNP has not been able to fully implement most of the decisions taken at the last national council a year ago. This has left the party rank and file frustrated, according to party insiders. Reorganisation at the grassroots level is going on at a slow pace, and the party is facing problems to complete the task even after issuing letters and setting deadlines repeatedly. This is because of internal feud and interference of influential quarters within the party, said the insiders. However, senior party leaders are happy with the progress made after the national council. At its council held in Dhaka on March 19 last year, the BNP decided to reorganise the party at the grassroots level, introduce the one leader one post policy, form subject-wise committees and a research cell, and publish the amended charter of the organisation. Talking to The Independent, senior party leaders acknowledged that most of the council decisions had not been implemented, as party leaders were on the run as they had been implicated in false cases, and an adverse political situation was prevailing. The party has been successful in achieving almost 50 per cent of its target to reorganise the party during the last one year, the leaders claimed. They expect that all the decisions taken at the national council could be implemented before the next general election. The party high command has given a reminder to the senior party leaders to implement the council decisions in phases, said the leaders. The BNP had announced that the largest ever 502-member national executive committee would be constituted in three phases in four months of the council. But two posts have been lying vacant in the 19-member standing committee since its formation, while another post fell vacant after the death of Brig. Gen. (Retd) ASM Hannan Shah since September 28 last year. The BNP could not implement its decision to form subject-wise sub-committees. The party has still not taken any initiative to form such committees. The party has also failed to fully implement its decision to ensure the one leader one-post policy. Although most of the leaders have resigned from additional posts, many are still holding more than one post, said party sources. The BNP could not print its amended party charter even in one year and form a research cell as per the decision of the council, the sources added. BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said they are happy with the progress made so far, even after facing scores of false cases filed against them. The party has turned around a lot following the sixth national council, he added. Fakhrul said the party is carrying out different activities, including reorganisation at the grassroots level, as per the decision of the council. He termed fixing of the 2030 vision at the council as a major achievement. Standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain also echoed the party secretary general, saying that they are happy with the achievements amid a controlled democratic atmosphere and limitations following the last council. However, we are not fully satisfied as we could not achieve the optimum level due to the controlled democratic situation in the country, he added. He said organisational activities have increased as party leaders and activists are more active now. Replying to a question, Hossain said most of the council decisions have been implemented and the rest would be implemented in phases. He also said most of the leaders with more than one post have resigned. The BNP leader said though the party constitution had not been printed, the party is carrying out its activities in line with the amended constitution. Vice-chairman Mohammed Shajahan said the BNP has turned around after the national council as new leadership was inducted at the district and upazila (sub-district) levels. He also said a large number of tested and dedicated new leaders have emerged in the posts of general secretary and organising secretary, with the party implementing the one leader one post policy. Replying to a question, Shajahan said 10 to 12 leaders holding more than one post are yet to resign. He added that the amended party charter would be printed soon.