The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Apparently in a snub to her estranged party secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, ex-premier and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia kept mum although he repeatedly tendered her salam as they met in the courtroom yesterday in the changed times.

Witnesses said Bhuiyan gave salam four or five times but Khaleda deliberately avoided him and kept exchanging pleasantries with other co-accused, including Jamaat Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami, who were produced in the dock in connection with the GATCO graft case.

The once-trusted lieutenant of Khaleda fell from her grace as he had emerged as reformist BNP leader and mooted proposals for reform of the party discarding Khaleda's leadership, in tune with the political reform recipe pronounced by the interim regime.

A day before being arrested, Khaleda sacked Bhuiyan as party secretary general and replaced him with Khandaker Delwar Hossain. In the process, BNP split into pro-Khaleda and pro-reform groups.

However, Bhuiyan abruptly changed his posture and recognized Khaleda as 'Desh Netri' the day he surrendered to the court in connection with the GATCO graft case.

Khaleda did not forget the pains caused by truant role of Bhuiyan, a long-term close aide while in power or out on the street, at the critical time for the immediate-past ruling party, BNP.

"Bhuiyan turned pale and perturbed as Khaleda did not recognize him, which was witnessed by all present in the court, including former BNP ministers in the dock," says an eyewitness account of the scene.