The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Former BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan said yesterday "anti-unity elements" were not friends of the party.

Speaking at a discussion on the eve of the Independence Day, Bhuiyan, a backer of the so-called reformist faction of the troubled party, expressed hope for unity.

"Those who are against unity are not friends of the BNP. They will be isolated from people. Unity is a must."

Leaders who spoke at the discussion organised by the pro-reform BNP faction at Elegant Community Centre in Gulshan echoed Bhuiyan's optimism about unity.

BNP's standing committee-nominated acting chief M Saifur Rahman said: "The party and the government have to be reformed. The trend of unilateral power has to be changed."

The BNP must unite to participate in the next election, he said.

"To make the democratic process active there was no alternative to establishing a representative government through a fair election. We want to build a strong administration that will have a sense of accountability, by implementing the reform programme at all levels."

BNP's acting secretary general Hafizuddin Ahmed urged BNP leaders: "Shrug off all hesitation and work for unity."

Referring to the last government's tenure, Hafizuddin said: "In the cabinet all became members of a deaf-and-dumb club. None could speak up. The politics of sycophancy has to be shunned. Reforms to the party are necessary for intra-party democracy."

The meeting was also attended by the BNP chairperson's advisers ZA Khan, AHM Mofazzal Karim, MA Hakim and central leaders Shah Md Abul Hossain and Zahiruddin Swapan.