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POST TIME: 3 October, 2015 00:00 00 AM
BNP extends party revamp deadline by one month
Oct 30 set new deadline to complete restructuring at district, upazila levels as 73 out of 75 district committees fail to complete councils
RAFIQUL ISLAM AZAD

BNP extends party revamp deadline by one month

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has extended by a month its deadline to reorganise the party at the grassroots level, following requests from district committees, said party leaders. The party decided on the new deadline — October 31 — after failing to complete restructuring at the district and upazila (sub-district) levels by holding the council within September 30. “Now, we want to complete the reorganisation work by October 31. We will send letters to the district committees that the time limit has been extended as they had requested,” said a senior party leader. However, the schedule will differ for the districts according to their progress of work, he added. BNP joint secretary general Mohammad Shahjahan said yesterday (Thursday) that the district committees that are yet to complete their council session for valid reasons would be given the time necessary to do so. “The committees will be given a new time frame, between 10 and 20 days, based on their requirement,” he said. Shahjahan, who is also coordinator of the reorganisation project, claimed that many districts have sought more time to complete their sessions after facing obstacles from both ruling party workers and the administration. He pointed out that many grassroots-level leaders are facing “false cases”, many are in prison and some are on the run to evade arrest, which is hampering the reorganisation work. “However, we have fixed our target to complete the councils in all the 75 district committees by the end of October,” he said. The BNP leader admitted, though, that some committees failed to begin the reorganisation work within the stipulated time without any plausible reason. The central committee will act against them, he added. Party sources said the BNP top brass might take organisational measures against leaders of 16 district committees that failed to begin the reorganisation work. Among these districts are Khulna, Mymensingh (North and South), Patuakhali, Chandpur, Comilla (South), Moulavibazar, Dhaka, Tangail, Barguna, Natore, Panchagarh and Kishoreganj. The BNP issued letters to the district leaders on August 9, asking them to complete their councils by September 30. Of the 75 district committees, only two — Gaibandha and Rangamati — have fixed dates for their council on October 6 and 8, respectively. Khagrachari has sought a schedule for holding its council any day next month, said a senior party leader. The councils of a good number of upazila committees in several districts, including Kurigram, Chuadanga and Bandarban, have already been completed. “But it will take more time to complete the councils of the district committees,” said party sources.