Contradictory statements about life leadership of BNP chairperson

FE Team | Published: September 15, 2008 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

A baffling cauldron of contradictions was let out by BNP leaders about the standing committee's reported decision making chairperson Khaleda Zia life leader of the party in its Saturday's meeting, reports UNB.
The just-released former premier and BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, Sunday expressed deep gratitude for the proposal of the standing committee making her life leader of the party but politely refused it, said a press release issued on BNP pad but signed by Maruf Kamal Khan who holds no party position.
BNP Secretary General Delwar and his deputy Nazrul Islam Khan disowned the press release. "Don't use it," Delwar told the news agency, when the statement was read out to him on phone.
Nazrul said he was aware of the statement but declined to own it.
Chowdhury Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui, who had proposed the life leadership at the meeting, reiterated Sunday that the decision was taken that Khaleda Zia would give 'leadership' to the party for life.
"She was endowed with the leadership of the party to preempt a conspiratorial move to minus her from politics. We have taken the decision so that none could sow the seeds of conspiracy in a bid to overthrow her from the party leadership," Tanvir told the news agency Sunday.
Asked if it is allowed in the party constitution, he said, "It does not come under the purview of the constitution. But it is the final decision of the standing committee," the policymaking body of the party, which sat with Khaleda in the chair in the first meeting after her release from jail.
Replying to another question Tanvir said the decision was taken in presence of the party secretary general. "And I had briefed the media in his presence."
"We have not said life chairperson but life leadership," he said, contradicting his own statement made Saturday night.
After the briefing, Tanvir phoned the UNB Saturday night to reconfirm that his proposal for endowing Khaleda Zia with life chairperson of BNP was adopted unanimously by the standing committee.
Standing-committee member Advocate Khandker Mahbubuddin Ahmed, who was present at the meeting, told UNB Sunday that "no such proposal (life leadership for chairperson Khaleda) was adopted in the meeting.
Tanvir said this in statement in the meeting. But it was not adopted as a proposal."
Another member of the standing committee, Lt Gen (rtd) Mahbubur Rahman, present at the meeting tried to avoid saying anything about the crosscurrents. "I was not clear about it," he said in a cryptic reply when pressed. But he has given to understand that no such decision was adopted in the meeting.
Elderly BNP leader M Shamsul Islam also tried to avoid making comment on the controversial decision of vesting life chairperson upon Khaleda Zia. "She is already holding the party leadership …. I can't say anything more," he said, indicating no such decision was adopted.
Earlier clarifying the position on behalf of the party, joint secretary general Nazrul Islam Khan read out the written proposal of Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui placed before the standing committee at the meeting. "Chairperson Khaleda Zia would give life leadership to BNP and the standing committee believes it."