The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) wants to hold its overdue national council in December this year. The party is already taking preparation to this end, according to party sources. "If the political situation permits, we want to hold the party's seventh national council later this year. We hope that our chairperson, Khaleda Zia, will be released on bail in the meantime. We hope to hold our council under her leadership," said a BNP standing committee member.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the party is taking preparations for the next national council. He, however, could not say anything about the date of the council.

“I can't say anything about the time for the next council. Reorganisation of some district committees are yet to be done. These committees should be reorganised before the national council,” he said.

He mentioned that full-fledged committees were given in some districts, while the committees were incomplete and convening committees were announced in some other districts.

The last council of the BNP was held in March 19, 2016. As per the party constitution, the triennial council was due in March this year.

Party sources said after the debacle in the December 30 general election, the BNP, which got only six parliamentary seats, is eying to reorganise the party at the grassroots level.

Party acting secretary general Tarique Rahman, now living in London, took initiatives to reorganise the party by holding Skype conferences with district leaders since early March.

BNP office sources said the party has already formed either full-fledged committees or convening committees in 42 districts out of a total of 76 organisational districts. Most of these are convening committees and they have been given three months each to form new committees by holding conferences, sources said.

The party would concentrate on holding the national council after reformation of all the organisational district committees and front organisations across the country, the sources added.

BNP vice-chairman Mohammed Shahjahan said the party national council would be held depending on the prevailing political situation.

He claimed that there is no congenial atmosphere to carry out outdoor political programmes. “We want immediate release of our chairperson on bail. We want to hold our council taking her with us,” he said.

The leader, however, cautioned if the former premier, who is currently serving a 17-year term in two graft cases, does not get bail, the party would go for tougher movement to ensure her release.

“The reorganisation of the party at the grassroots level is going on. We're preparing for the national council. But all will depend on the situation and behaviour of the government,” he added. He further said their priority is to free party chairperson Khaleda Zia before the next council.