Mainstream issue: Delwar brushes off Bhuiyan's claim

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BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain Friday brushed aside Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan's claim that his faction represented the mainstream BNP.
"Those expelled are no more in the party. Their claim of being the mainstream BNP is illegal," he told bdnews24.com after special prayers organised for detained party chief Khaleda Zia in the evening.
"I participated in the doa mahfil (prayers) at the mosque in my village home. (Prayers) were held all over the country for the BNP chairperson."
At midday, adviser to BNP chairperson ASM Hannan Shah told journalists the chairperson's decision on expulsion was timely.
"The BNP has got rid of problem elements through the use of the chairperson's discretionary power. The discretionary power will not be removed in the future."
"Mannan Bhuiyan and Ashraf Hossain are nobody in the BNP. After their expulsion we will now be able to work properly," he said.
Former lawmaker BM Ashraf Uddin Nizam was present.
UNB adds: War of words continues between two factions of BNP over the expulsion of Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan from the post of secretary general as well as reforms within the party.
Bhuiyan told reporters Friday at his Gulshan house that BNP would be made popular and acceptable to the people through reforms.
Reiterating his claim that they are the mainstream of BNP, the expelled secretary general said, "We represent the mainstream. We're the successors of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman."
Bhuiyan, who was expelled by BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia a day before her arrest on September 03, claimed majority party leaders and former MPs are with them. He also predicted that BNP would again win the next elections.
In a note of discord, BNP chairperson's Adviser Hannan Shah said BNP has been free of garbage through the expulsion of secretary general Mannan Bhuiyan and joint secretary general Ashraf Hossain.
Talking to reporters at his Mohakhali DOH house, he said both of them were expelled on September 02 before Khaleda was arrested.
Since the state of emergency is on, Hannan Shah said, the BNP chairperson could not hold the party's standing committee meeting and for that matter she had no option but to take the unilateral decision.
In reply to a question, he said despite pressure from BNP leaders and workers to launch a movement to free Khaleda, they cannot do that now as the emergency is in place.
First of all, Hannan Shah said, they will fight the legal battle to free her. Later on, they will think other options.
He said the BNP council session will be convened after the withdrawal of the state of emergency.