Delwar slams EC over inviting Bhuiyan faction
Monday, 10 September 2007
BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain Sunday slammed the Election Commission (EC) for inviting BNP's faction led by Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan to reform talks, marking it as the mainstream BNP, reports bdnews24.com.
"It's not the Election Commission's prerogative to determine party leadership. Mannan Bhuiyan or his followers are of no consequence to the BNP, as they no more represent the mainstream party," Delwar told reporters at his home in the city.
"The BNP led by Khaleda Zia and inspired by the ideals of the [founder Ziaur Rahman] is the mainstay of the party."
He asked the EC not to go around or breach the conventional etiquette it has been adhering to while communicating with the BNP.
Delwar said the councillors would decide the party reform issues and no such move will be taken at the signal of any external agency or authority.
There were no qualms or division in the party over Khaleda's leadership, he declared.
Protesting media reports about his political status, Delwar said, "Various propagandist newspapers have been launching campaigns against me, trying to malign me. But I don't think they have been able to mislead our party men in any manner."
Rizvi Ahmed, the BNP assistant office secretary, was present at the briefing.
Some 50 women leaders and workers led by Helen Zerin Khan, Rehana Akhtar Ranu and Shireen Sultana met Delwar with bouquets.
They laid wreaths at late president Ziaur Rahman's grave in the morning to mark the founding anniversary of the BNP's women wing, the Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal.
"It's not the Election Commission's prerogative to determine party leadership. Mannan Bhuiyan or his followers are of no consequence to the BNP, as they no more represent the mainstream party," Delwar told reporters at his home in the city.
"The BNP led by Khaleda Zia and inspired by the ideals of the [founder Ziaur Rahman] is the mainstay of the party."
He asked the EC not to go around or breach the conventional etiquette it has been adhering to while communicating with the BNP.
Delwar said the councillors would decide the party reform issues and no such move will be taken at the signal of any external agency or authority.
There were no qualms or division in the party over Khaleda's leadership, he declared.
Protesting media reports about his political status, Delwar said, "Various propagandist newspapers have been launching campaigns against me, trying to malign me. But I don't think they have been able to mislead our party men in any manner."
Rizvi Ahmed, the BNP assistant office secretary, was present at the briefing.
Some 50 women leaders and workers led by Helen Zerin Khan, Rehana Akhtar Ranu and Shireen Sultana met Delwar with bouquets.
They laid wreaths at late president Ziaur Rahman's grave in the morning to mark the founding anniversary of the BNP's women wing, the Jatiyatabadi Mahila Dal.