The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The rejection of Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon's statement about detained party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia's call for reunification of the BNP by its Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain not only cast doubt on the unity move but also triggered differences of opinion among the leaders of the latter's own group.

Barrister Khokon, who met Begum Zia on Friday at her prison, told media that the detained former Prime Minister directed the divided party leaders to unite themselves and the nationalist forces before the next general elections.

"She has also directed the party leaders to participate in the general elections at any cost, even without her," he claimed.

BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain at a press conference on Sunday rejected Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon's statement, saying, "I doubt as to whether Begum Zia has at all given such a directive to reunite with the misguided leaders of party."

Barrister Khokan, one of the counsels of Begum Zia and her detained sons, threw a challenge to Khandaker Delwar Hossain asking him to prove his statement wrong the same (Sunday) evening.

Reformist BNP leader Major General (retd) ZA Khan yesterday told journalists that the fate of the reunification move had now become uncertain following the negative comment of Khandaker Delwar Hossain, who also asked the reformist to make a comeback leaving the reforms agenda and three expelled leaders, including the former party Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan.

"The party cannot be reunited unless Begum Zia cancels her expulsion order against Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Ashraf Hossain and Mofiqul Hasan Tritpee," he said, asserting that the expulsion was one of the major issues, which divided the BNP.

It may be mentioned here that Mannan Bhuiyan and Ashraf Hossain were expelled from the party and Khandaker Delwar was appointed its Secretary General by Begum Zia hours before her arrest in October last year. While, BNP Office Secretary Mofiqul Hasan Triptee was expelled by Khandaker Delwar later for siding with the reformist group led by Mannan Bhuiyan.

As per the party constitution, either BNP Chairperson Begum Zia or its National Standing Committee is empowered to withdraw any expulsion order.

Meanwhile, anti-reformist BNP Joint Secretary General Gayeswar Chandra Roy yesterday said, "The abrupt rejection ( by Khandaker Delwar Hossain) of Barrister Khokon's statement was not correct."

"One has to check and crosscheck before rejecting any important thing," he said, while talking to journalists at his residence.