Khaleda, Tarique want to see loyalists in party leadership:Daily Sun

 BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her elder son senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman want to see the party men most loyal to them instead of popular and dedicated leaders in the party leadership, party sources said. It is learnt from party insiders that after experiencing revolt inside the party following 1/11 political changeover, Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique have become careful about choosing p
ersons for the party’s leadership posts. The BNP chief and her second in command want to choose only those most loyal to them for the high-ranking posts to avoid further unrest in the party again, the sources said. They also want to take overall control of the party fearing that as anyone of the party can revolt again and raise voice against their leadership any time, party insiders said. BNP joint-secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, also in charge of office secretary, told daily sun that “Loyalty to party leadership is seen in many democratic countries. If there is no loyalty to party leadership, a party has to face serious disorder.” After 1/11 changeover, a number of BNP’s top leaders, including former secretary-general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, former standing committee member Saifur Rahman, Mahbubur Rahman, Hafizuddin Ahmed proposed to reform the party excluding, if necessary, party chairperson Khaleda Zia. Party sources said expulsion of corrupt party leaders, including Tarique Rahman and ensuring intra-party democracy and transparency in functioning of the party were among their proposals. The pro-reformist leaders had also proposed that Khaleda Zia should quit as party chairperson saying she cannot lead the party in a democratic manner and was involved in unlawful practices to run the party. They also proposed that none of the party should be allowed to be the prime minister for a third time and the same person should not hold simultaneously the post of party chairperson and become the premier. Although many BNP leaders claim that their party is working to strengthen country’s democracy but the party itself remains far from democratic practice, a political expert said. A top leader of BNP said Khaleda Zia and Tarique have information about the performance of party leaders and they only want their loyalists for the leadership posts to maintain order in the party. Although Mirza Fakhrul is not organizationally strong and worthy, the BNP chief has made him party’s acting secretary general for his loyalty to her and son Tarique Rahman, by overtaking many senior and dedicated leaders of the party, he added. “Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman are very much careful about selecting party’s leadership posts as party’s top leaders revolted against them and wanted to exclude them from the party,” a mid-level party leader said. Another party leader said the BNP chief and her son has given importance to loyalty to them in selecting the leaders for the posts of the party’s Dhaka city unit. And this is event as Mirza Abbas has been made convener and Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel member secretary and Sramik Dal central committee president and secretary recently. The BNP elected its existing national executive committee during the party’s national council in December 2009. The party is yet to hold its new national council though more than a year had passed after its stipulated timeframe. In the last national council, BNP chief also had given importance to loyalty instead of popularity for selecting the leadership posts of the committee as she selected maximum members of the party’s standing committee as per her own choice. Many competent and senor leaders were excluded from the party’s policymaking body, said a BNP leader. On the other hand, party sources said many competent and experienced leaders are deprived of in the party despite their great role in carrying out organisational responsibilities. “There are many senior and good leaders are in the BNP but the party chief should bring them in the frontline to carry out the party’s next course of movement. Otherwise, the party may fail to launch effective movement again,” a party leader said. BNP failed to launch effective movement over January 5 national election due to lack of proper leadership in the party. “Popular leaders are deprived in the party and the party is suffering for not choosing popular leaders for the party’s top post.”