The New Nation - Internet Edition

Shahidul Islam

The reformist factions of the BNP set a precondition for the reunification of the immediate-past ruling party as top leader of the anti-reform group party Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain did not respond to their unity call by placing a set of conditionality that foiled the unity move, insiders said yesterday.

In retaliation, leaders of the reformist after a recent meeting set three preconditions for the unity with the other faction. These are-1) Khandaker Delwar Hossain should relinquish his position as Secretary General 2) his group should accept the agenda for bringing about reforms in the party and 3) Khandaker Delwar should take the fresh unity move.

Leaders of the reformist faction made it clear that they would not accept Khandaker Delwar Hossain, who was appointed by party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia immediately after she removed Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan minutes before her arrest on November 3 (2007), as the chief executive of the BNP.

Earlier last month, BNP Acting Chairman and top leader of the reformist faction M Saifur Rahman in a patch up move made telephone call to Khandaker Delwar Hossain asking him to reunite the divided party, promising he and Major Hafizuddin Ahmed would give up their respective posts if anti-reform group agrees to the proposal.

In reply, Khandaker Delwar Hossain had put a set of four preconditions for the reunification. Those were-1) cancellation of the resolution of October 29 (2007) meeting of the Standing Committee, including restoration of membership of his predecessor Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, 2) accepting Khandaker Delwar Hossain as the legitimate Secretary General of the party, 3) resignation of Saifur and Major (retd) Hafiz the Acting Chairman and Acting Secretary General posts respectively and 4) abandoning the reforms agenda.

"Khandaker Delwar Hossain will have sacrifice his position as we (Saifur and myself) are ready to give up our positions as Acting Chairman and Acting Secretary General for sake of the unity of the party," Major Hafiz told journalists before leaving Dhaka for Singapore for medical check up.

In the absence of Major Hafiz and Acting Chairman Saifur Rahman, who had admitted to the Apollo Hospital in the city for treatment, BNP Standing Committee member Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan will look after the reformist faction of the party.

"They (Delwar group) will have to accept the necessity of reforms of the party to democratize it so that the party does not get dependent on a particular person for decisions," Major Hafiz added.

The pro-reformist BNP Acting Secretary General, who left the country on Sunday, said, "BNP, the biggest political party of the country, cannot remain inactive due to necessary directives as the party Chairperson is in prison. We have many senior leaders with adequate political experiences and they can guide the party correctly."

Defending Saifur's election to post of Acting Chairman of the party, he said, "Saifur Rahman is the senior-most leader of the party after Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia."

When contacted, neither the BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain nor any other top leader of his faction agreed to comment on the reformist group's preconditions.

Meanwhile, Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday urged the leaders and workers of the BNP and its front organisations to keep the party united under the leadership of Begum Zia at any cost.

He gave this call, while talking to the leaders of party's Rangpur district unit led by Habibunnanbi Khan Sohel and a delegation of Jatiyatabadi Tanti Dal (JTD) led by its General Secretary Humayun Islam Khan separately.

They met Khandaker Delwar at his NAM flat residence in the city last afternoon marking the 27th founding anniversary of JTD, a front organisation of the BNP.

BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan, former MP Principal Sohrab Uddin and Acting Office Secretary Rizvi Ahmed were present.

Leaders of the Tanti Dal sent a bouquet to detained party Chief Begum Zia through the jail authorities at her makeshift jail on the Parliament Building compound.