Zia followers attend rebel meet

By IANS

Dhaka : A large number of followers of detained former prime minister Khaleda Zia attended a meeting convened by expelled Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, who said he had no plans to split the party.


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Bhuiyan, ousted by Zia minutes before she was taken to jail Sep 3, called for reconciliation, saying: We do not want to divide the party. We do not want to create a conflict within the party… We want reconciliation.”

However, Khandaker Delwar Hossain, whom Zia appointed, called the meeting illegal.

Sixty-five of the party’s 186 former lawmakers, 60 of the 251-member national executive committee and three of 20-member council of advisers to the party chairperson were present at the meeting, New Age newspaper said Sunday.

More than 400 activists of Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal, the party’s student and youth wings, and Dhaka city unit of the BNP gathered at the meeting venue.

Zia has held unquestioned power over the BNP that her husband, late President Ziaur Rahman founded, since she took charge after his assassination. Retired civil and military officials loyal to her husband have formed a significant part of her political support base.

The newspaper noted that they were prominent among the 17 speakers at Bhuiyan’s meeting.

Meanwhile, Awami League, the country’s oldest party too is facing problems since its chief Sheikh Hasina, also a former prime minister, has been detained since July 16 on corruption charges.

However, dissidents or reformists have closed ranks, demanding Hasina’s release.

A group led by Mukul Bose, that was perceived as not insisting on this demand, was roughed up earlier this week.

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