The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bnews24.com, Dhaka

Khandaker Delwar Hossain sat in the chair of secretary general at the BNP headquarters on Thursday for the first time since he was appointed to the post more than a year ago.

Before party chief Khaleda Zia's release yesterday police opened the lock of the office that has been the bone of contention for months for the two factions of the party.

Khaleda expelled BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and thrusted Delwar into job minutes before her arrest on Sept 3 last year.

Delwar came to the Naya Paltan office at 3:30pm and took seat at the secretary general's chamber on the second floor of the complex that houses the party office.

Policymaking standing committee member M Shamsul Islam, office secretary Rizvy Ahmed and scores of supporters welcomed him.

Delwar then spoke to bdnews24.com.

"Police kept the BNP office under lock and key unjustly for long. Of late, they realised their mistake today. I have taken the seat in this office yesterday as secretary general.

"I seek cooperation of all party leaders and workers in the days ahead," he said.

Ahead of Khaleda's arrival, party supporters in the morning cleaned the building, decorated it with flowers, built an arch at the main gate and rolled out carpet.

Supporters came in streaming and chanted slogans on the arrival of Khaleda.

After the changeover on Jan 11 last year and imposition of the state of emergency, the offices of all political parties were shut down.

When the ban on indoor politics was relaxed on Nov 1 that year, the offices of other political parties opened but the BNP's remained closed.

Delwar tried to enter the office along with his supporters but police obstructed.

Hafizuddin Ahmed, elected secretary general by the standing committee on November 14 that year as a counterweight to Delwar, had come to the BNP office with followers of the so-called reformist faction and sat in the chamber of the secretary general.

Other pro-reform leaders including M Saifur Rahman, who was nominated acting party chief by the same committee, also went there. The next day, police again locked the office.

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