Councils being planned in a way to drop 2 party chiefs

Trackback URL

Download PDF

The pro-reform leaders of the BNP and Awami League (AL) reportedly plan to hold national councils in a way that won’t allow the party chiefs–Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina–to participate in those.

The reason for such initiative with “tacit support from the caretaker government” is the fear that presence of the two might get in the way of intra-party reforms, say insiders.

In the lead-up to the councils being planned, some stern measures will be taken against the former premiers already faced with restriction on their movement while the ones loyal to them are not being allowed to meet them.

In a recent statement, the government said despite the ban on political activities, it might allow the political parties to hold special councils to carry out reforms.

The two top leaders maintain that they too want reforms but those should be determined by the national councils and must not be imposed from outside.

Talking to The Daily Star, a number of senior leaders of both the AL and BNP have said they want to keep their party heads out of the council sessions as they think the supremos might influence the proposed changes and the way they want those to take place.

Alongside preparations for councils on reforms, the pro-reforms camps are now trying to convince the councillors that exclusion of Hasina and Khaleda is an absolute imperative for meaningful reforms.

Because of corruption charges against them it seems uncertain if the ladies who ruled the country’s political landscape for decades will be able to take part in the councils.

Three extortion cases have already been filed against AL President Hasina while preparation is on to file more, a source in the intelligence agency said.

A string of cases are in the offing against Khaleda too, a highly placed source in the administration said.

The cases will be disposed of before the councils and the two if found guilty will not be able to participate in the national councils, a senior BNP leader, who claimed to have been keeping close contact with the government policymakers, told The Daily Star.

Khaleda will be automatically disqualified from holding or contesting the post of chairperson according to the BNP constitution.

The AL constitution does not have any such provision, but the pro-reforms leaders on several occasions said that they would not bear the responsibility if Hasina ends up being convicted of extortion.

A number of pro-reforms leaders from both the parties have told The Daily Star that their plan for freeing parties from dynastic leaderships hinges on whether the two would make it to the councils or not.

They believe the government’s legal actions against Khaleda and Hasina will help them amend the party constitutions to get rid of the two who have been at the helm for years.

According to both party constitutions, grassroots level leaders make up the majority of the councillors and both Khaleda and Hasina believe they will still vote for them, sources close to the former prime ministers said.

Before the government slapped curbs on entrance to her Dhanmondi residence, many leaders from grassroots level had met Hasina at the Sudha Sadan and pledged support in her favour.

According to the AL constitution if the council meeting is summoned in order to alter, modify or amend the constitution, it shall be done by the votes of the majority of members present.

On the other hand, Khaleda believes most of the BNP rank and file will not support Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and allies in their efforts to leave her out.

The pro-reform BNP leaders, who unveiled a 15-point reform proposal apparently aiming to dislodge Khaleda from the post of chairperson, plan to approach the field level leaders and workers to mobilise support in favour of their proposals. If they are to have their proposals approved in the council, they will need the two thirds majority siding with them.

The BNP secretary general yesterday met some former ministers and lawmakers to discuss the campaign strategy. According to the plans, the former lawmakers will work to convince the grassroots level leaders-cum-councillors.

Leave a Reply