Hired leadership running BNP, says Hasan

Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said on Monday BNP is being run by 'hired leadership', reports BSS.

The minister made the comments while talking to reporters at the Secretariat in the city.

He said now BNP's leadership is not under the control of its leader Khaleda Zia and her convicted fugitive son Tarique Rahman

"BNP was run by hired leadership in the past. In fact, BNP handed over its leadership to Dr Kamal Hossain through forming Jatiya Oikyafront, which still continues. Now BNP has to decide whether it would hire new leadership or not," he said.

Replying to a question over the media report on Colonel (retd) Oli Ahmed's interest to lead the BNP-led 20-party alliance, Hasan said Tarique is a convicted fugitive and that is why it would not be easy for him to lead BNP staying outside the country.

Noting that BNP got isolated from the people due to its many wrong decisions, he said today the party is in a poor state because of its continuous political mistakes.

The information minister said firstly BNP leaders were in dilemma in joining the 10th general elections and then the party did not participate in the polls.

But, he said, BNP participated in the 11th general election without preparation and carried out a nomination trade from London.

About the illness of BNP leader Khaleda Zia, he said, "She got wound in her tongue while taking food. I have already talked to the doctors of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital. They informed me that she would be okay soon".