The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday rejected his expelled predecessor Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan's reunification call, terming it as a plea to find way to get back to the party.

"Mannan Bhuiyan and his associates are now trying to find different strategy to return to the party," he said when his attention was drawn to Mannan Bhuiyan's call.

"They will not be able to return through byways. If they really want to return, they must follow the BNP constitution," he said while talking to the journalists at his NAM building apartment.

His remarks came in the wake of show of strength on their respective sides by the numbers of former MPs siding with them and top reformist leader Mannan Bhuiyan's latest statement that he wants both unity and reform of the BNP keeping Begum Khaleda Zia as its Chairperson.

But, anti-reform member of the BNP Advisory Council Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah yesterday at a separate programme said Mannan Bhuiyan would have to offer a public apology to the people and the party if he wants to get back into the BNP.

Khandaker Delwar said the former BNP MPs, who met on Thursday, were earlier seen with Mannan Bhuiyan as the latter coerced and allured them into his side.

He said the BNP Chairperson Begum Zia expelled Mannan Bhuiyan and appointed him Secretary General of the party. "I have no authority to lift the expulsion order, as I cannot usurp the Chairperson's authority."

Khandaker Delwar questioned as to why Mannan Bhuiyan did not say earlier that he wants unity and reform both in BNP keeping Begum Zia as the Chairperson.

Referring to the obstruction to his planned visit to the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal ® in Sylhet Friday, he said it was his family programme but the government deliberately obstructed him. "As a Muslim it is my fundamental right to offer fateha at the Mazar."

Earlier, a Juba Dal delegation headed by General Secretary Moazzem Hossain Alal met Delwar and discussed with him observance of the founding anniversary of the youth front of BNP. BNP leader Gayeswar Chandra Roy and Juba Dal leaders ex-MP Khairul Kabir Khokon, former MP Abdul Momen, Nurul Kabir Shaheen, Abul Hossain Khan and Mohammad Shajahan were present.

When his attention was drawn to Mannan Bhuiyan's call, BNP leader Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah joked that it seems good sense prevailed upon pro-reform leaders and they now want to return to BNP.

"But it must be ascertained whether the good sense of theirs is temporary or permanent. Their mindsets and stances must be scrutinized before they are allowed to return to BNP," he told journalists at his new DOHS residence in the city.