The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Newly appointed BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday rejected expelled BNP leader Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan’s claim they are the mainstream of BNP saying the people would decide who are the mainstream.

“One can forcibly occupy a house but not politics,” he told journalists at his NAM flat at Manik Miah Avenue when asked to comment about Mannan Bhuiyan’s claim.

Asked why his group looks deserted while Mannan Bhuiyan is adorned with the support of a number of senior leaders and former MPs, he admited that he was passing through a bad time.

He said he is not sure whether “fear factor” prevents BNP leaders from meeting him.

“Hold patience for few more days, you will see who enjoy the majority support,” the former Chief Whip of Parliament said, expressing the hope that all those genuinely belong to BNP would come back again.

“When Mannan Bhuiyan had been the party’s Secretary General for 11 years everything was correct Now he wants to clean everything because he is no more in the party,” he said.

Khandaker Delwar said, “While he (Mannan Bhuiyan) was in power everything was correct, now being outside the power everything is wrong.”

Replying to a question, he said people would decide who is the mainstream BNP and who are outsiders. “Politics cannot be pursued in illegitimate way, it requires people’s support,” he added.

Ridiculing Bhuiyan’s remarks that BNP would win the next election under his leadership, Khandaker Delwar posed the questions saying, “Has he got the magic lamp? How could he say this before the vote?”

“Winning the elections without vote was only possible during the period of Ershad,” he added.

On reforms of the party, the new BNP Secretary General said it would be done in accordance with the BNP constitution when the ban on politics would be withdrawn. “We will call the Council Session when it will be possible,” he said.

He recalled that while in power in 1991, there had been some reforms in the BNP through consultations.

BNP leaders Major (retd) Akhtaruzzaman and Rizvi Ahmed were present Kazi Saiful Islam, on behalf of Saudi Arabia branch of Jubo Dal, presented a bouquet to Delwar.