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Download PDF The pro-reform BNP faction finds itself in a leadership crisis after the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday approved charge sheet in the Gatco graft case including names of Saifur Rahman and Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan.
It was already in much trouble following Saifur’s statement on Wednesday that his position as acting chairperson has become somewhat invalid with four of the standing committee members withdrawing their support.
The former finance minister was appointed to the post at a standing committee meeting on October 29 last year.
The latest developments have cast uncertainty over the fate of the two top leaders, leaving their fellows with no choice but to go for a new leadership.
But as of last night, they could not decide on their next course of action.
Most of those in the pro-reform camp fear that both Saifur and Bhuiyan would soon be detained, as the Gatco case is under the emergency power rules that do not allow a defendant bail until the trial is over.
Sources said the charge sheet would be submitted to a court in the next few days.
On receipt of the case dossier, the court would summon the charge-sheeted accused to appear before it. If they show up there is every chance they would be sent to jail since the charge against them is non-bailable, and if they don’t, arrest warrants would be issued against them, according to legal experts.
When the Gatco case was filed on September 2 last year, none of Saifur and Bhuiyan was among the accused. But later their names were included in the charge sheet after the anti-graft body probe found their ‘involvement in the offence’.
Former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who has been detained since September 3 last year, was arrested in hours after the case was filed.
The ACC is conducting investigation also in the Boropukuria coal mine case that was filed on February 16 under emergency power rules against Khaleda, Saifur and Bhuiyan, among others.
Meanwhile, Saifur’s statement has upset the leaders with the background of left politics. They plan to raise the issue after Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed, acting secretary general appointed by the standing committee, returns to the capital.
Saifur on Wednesday night said the pro-reform leaders who were once involved with leftist parties can only split the party. He also alleged that Khaleda Zia’s government could not implement many a good decision due to those leaders who were in the cabinet then.
Meanwhile, Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah, an adviser to the BNP chairperson, yesterday welcomed Saifur’s statement. He said he hopes that the other ‘dissidents’ would follow the senior most standing committee member’s lead, and at the end return to where they belong.
He also observed that the reconciliation move would only get stronger after Saifur’s remarks.
DELWAR SLATES GATCO CHARGE SHEET
BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday condemned the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) decision to approve the charge sheet in the Gatco corruption case against Khaleda Zia.
He alleged that the charge sheet has been approved as part of the conspiracy to keep their party chairperson in jail.
“She [Khaleda] was not involved in any corruption. A file comes to the Prime Minister’s Office for final approval after being approved by all government committees concerned,” he told The Daily Star last night.
He also alleged that the government wants to hold a ‘blueprint’ election and prevent the party president from participating in the electoral process by filing cases against her.
On the other hand, Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mujahid told The Daily Star that the ACC approved the charge sheet to harass their party chief Motiur Rahman Nizami.
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