Gayeshwar meets Bhuiyan, wants reforms but without ‘motive’

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BNP Joint Secretary General Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, who has all along been siding with Khaleda Zia on the issue of intra-party reforms, yesterday met pro-reform leader and Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan.

Coming out of the meeting at Bhuiyan’s Gulshan residence, he said that it would bring no good for the party or the country if there is a motive behind the reform initiative.

“Reforms should be carried out with everyone involved in the process and no particular individual on the sidelines,” he told the reporters.

Gayeshwar acknowledged that there are some differences of opinion between Chairperson Khaleda Zia and the secretary general on how to hold the council but no disagreement over the necessity of changes.

“Both the leaders want reforms in the party and they differ only about the way to implement those,” he added.

There should be no doubt that whatever reforms the party might need would be brought under the leadership of Khaleda Zia who too has some ideas to propose, he observed.

Asked about the proposals unveiled by the pro-reform camp, he said, “It will be good for the nation if those are meant to correct ourselves. But if it’s all a scheme for something other than that I’m afraid the whole thing will turn out to be a disaster.

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“The council will be held with approval of the chairperson after lifting of the ban on indoor politics,” he said adding that it would finalise all the proposals.

Replying to a query, Gayeshwar said the secretary general has reiterated that the council would be held with Khaleda Zia at the helm.

He told the reporters, “I’ve been speaking about the mistakes made by the party and flaws in its constitution for the last 10 years…so it’s unfair when some people label me as anti-reforms.”

Meanwhile, insiders say Khaleda wants to hold the council in an atmosphere congenial to discussions down to the grassroots level after withdrawal of the ban while the reform campaigners spearheaded by Mannan Bhuiyan want it as soon as possible, even amid the state of emergency.

During talks with the secretary general, Gayeshwar urged him not to do anything without the former prime minister’s involvement.

Bhuiyan assured him that he would meet the chairperson to seek her permission for the council once they are done with the preparations.

Earlier on June 25, Gayeshwar read out a statement that Khaleda issued for the media with her reaction to Bhuiyan’s proposals for changes in the BNP constitution.

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