Bangladesh News

Grassroots leaders of BNP have urged the party high-command to stop leaders of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) from “making money using party name” and hand over its leadership to general students so that honest and competent leaders can emerge.

They also suggested that the Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal, women’s wing of the party, be strengthened, party insiders said.

The suggestions were made at yesterday’s meeting between the central teams and grassroots-level leaders at BNP’s central office.

Leaders of different places including Munshiganj, Dinajpur and Khagrachhari met the central teams to give their opinion about party activities and the party’s poor result in the parliament elections of December 29.

After interview with field-level leaders, BNP Joint Secretary General Abdullah Al Noman told reporters that 2009 will be observed as organisational year for BNP. All opinions of grassroots-level leaders will be placed before party high-ups for taking necessary steps to make the party stronger.

About the suggestions that they made about JCD, Noman said the BNP chairperson already asked for reconstituting JCD bodies to keep regular students in the leadership level.

Many grassroots leaders said BNP should not depend on Jamaat-e-Islami and identified the party’s alliance with Jamaat as a major reason for losing votes in December 29 polls.

When asked about the issue, Noman said they were evaluating the pros and cons of being in alliance with Jamaat.

The field-level leaders also said the dilly dallying attitude towards participating in the elections, delay in announcing candidates and the short time for campaigning contributed to the BNP’s debacle in the elections.

BNP Organisational Secretary Amanullah Aman, who was convicted for corruption, told reporters that the common opinion of field-level leaders was that the election was stage-managed and the results were predetermined.

The interview with presidents, general secretaries and organising secretaries or conveners and joint conveners of upazila and municipality units will continue till the end of this month.