Hannan Shah rules out council without Khaleda
Saturday, 4 August 2007
BNP chairperson's adviser ASM Hannan Shah Friday ruled out any scope of holding a council meeting excluding Khaleda Zia, reports bdnews24.com.
"No council or elections would be allowed to be held minus Khaleda Zia. She has become an uncompromising leader through movements by her own ability. There is nothing to call dynastic here," Shah said.
His comment came while BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan on the day cold-shouldered the chairperson's recent comments that he was plotting to break up the party in the name of reforms.
Hannan Shah came down hard on the so-called reformists led by Mannan Bhuiyan for their remarks that Khaleda still favoured family dynasty.
BNP joint secretary Ashraf Hossain earlier Thursday said some of Khaleda's comments made during telephonic talks with activists of the party's student wing might put the party unity at stake.
Khaleda had reportedly branded the reform campaigners as conspirators.
Hossain was critical of Khaleda's statement, saying that she still wanted to run the party through family dynasty.
But Shah questioned Hossain's authority to be a party spokesman.
"I am speaking in line with the directives of the chairperson. But Mr Ashraf is not a party spokesman, in what capacity is he speaking?
"There is nothing called dynasty. The chairperson has established herself in politics by her own ability," he said.
"If madam is arrested or any such situation arises, no council or elections will be held without her. It would not be allowed. The party leaders and workers will accept nothing keeping her out."
Shah said there was no reason to drop her from the party and accused the "reformists" of preparing their proposals to drop the party chief.
He also took a dig at the Election Commission for what he termed a slow pace of work on polls preparations.
"I have talked to the party chairperson. She has asked the party leaders and workers to stand by the flood-hit people."
On the other hand, referring to BNP chairperson's recent comments, Mannan Bhuiyan told reporters at his Gulshan home Friday afternoon that the comments were "unwanted and unexpected".
Bhuiyan expressed the hope that his chief would no more make such remarks for the sake of unity of the party.
Khaleda in teleconferences with the expatriate leaders and workers of the party in last two months and the Chhatra Dal leaders from Kanchpur in Chandpur Tuesday night came down hard on Bhuiyan.
She described him as a left leader who did not believe in God and who had abandoned ideals.
Mannan Bhuiyan, however, said preparation for the party council was in progress.
"The flood has hampered work to some extent. After completion of the primary preparation we will go to the party chairperson for permission to hold the council."
Bhuiyan also placed a six-point recommendation before the government to better tackle the floods and asked all to cooperate with the government to face flood.
The recommendations include moving flood-stricken people to shelters and providing them with pure drinking water, food and medicare.
He suggested preparation of aman seedbeds, collection of seeds of alternative crops, introduction of VGF cards and test relief, and arrangement of agricultural loan on easy conditions as post-flood rehabilitation measures.
"The government will have to take allout measures to recoup the flood losses. The farmers must be given seeds, fertilisers and other agricultural inputs."
The BNP secretary general said since there was no scope to stand by the flood victims in an organised way due to the state of emergency, people would have to get by their side at their own initiatives.
"No council or elections would be allowed to be held minus Khaleda Zia. She has become an uncompromising leader through movements by her own ability. There is nothing to call dynastic here," Shah said.
His comment came while BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan on the day cold-shouldered the chairperson's recent comments that he was plotting to break up the party in the name of reforms.
Hannan Shah came down hard on the so-called reformists led by Mannan Bhuiyan for their remarks that Khaleda still favoured family dynasty.
BNP joint secretary Ashraf Hossain earlier Thursday said some of Khaleda's comments made during telephonic talks with activists of the party's student wing might put the party unity at stake.
Khaleda had reportedly branded the reform campaigners as conspirators.
Hossain was critical of Khaleda's statement, saying that she still wanted to run the party through family dynasty.
But Shah questioned Hossain's authority to be a party spokesman.
"I am speaking in line with the directives of the chairperson. But Mr Ashraf is not a party spokesman, in what capacity is he speaking?
"There is nothing called dynasty. The chairperson has established herself in politics by her own ability," he said.
"If madam is arrested or any such situation arises, no council or elections will be held without her. It would not be allowed. The party leaders and workers will accept nothing keeping her out."
Shah said there was no reason to drop her from the party and accused the "reformists" of preparing their proposals to drop the party chief.
He also took a dig at the Election Commission for what he termed a slow pace of work on polls preparations.
"I have talked to the party chairperson. She has asked the party leaders and workers to stand by the flood-hit people."
On the other hand, referring to BNP chairperson's recent comments, Mannan Bhuiyan told reporters at his Gulshan home Friday afternoon that the comments were "unwanted and unexpected".
Bhuiyan expressed the hope that his chief would no more make such remarks for the sake of unity of the party.
Khaleda in teleconferences with the expatriate leaders and workers of the party in last two months and the Chhatra Dal leaders from Kanchpur in Chandpur Tuesday night came down hard on Bhuiyan.
She described him as a left leader who did not believe in God and who had abandoned ideals.
Mannan Bhuiyan, however, said preparation for the party council was in progress.
"The flood has hampered work to some extent. After completion of the primary preparation we will go to the party chairperson for permission to hold the council."
Bhuiyan also placed a six-point recommendation before the government to better tackle the floods and asked all to cooperate with the government to face flood.
The recommendations include moving flood-stricken people to shelters and providing them with pure drinking water, food and medicare.
He suggested preparation of aman seedbeds, collection of seeds of alternative crops, introduction of VGF cards and test relief, and arrangement of agricultural loan on easy conditions as post-flood rehabilitation measures.
"The government will have to take allout measures to recoup the flood losses. The farmers must be given seeds, fertilisers and other agricultural inputs."
The BNP secretary general said since there was no scope to stand by the flood victims in an organised way due to the state of emergency, people would have to get by their side at their own initiatives.