With the infusion of fresh blood, the BNP high command is planning to overhaul the Dhaka city committee of the party retaining the veteran Sadeque Hossain Khoka as its convenor
The BNP high command is likely to announce the new city committee of the party any day headed by Khoka, who was in the helm of Dhaka city BNP for the last 17 years.Senior party leaders said the new city committee is however would be reorganised with the infusion of new dynamic and energetic leadership to gear up the anti-government agitation for new elections.
Thus, member secretary of the city unit of BNP Abdus Slam, who came out of jail on bail on Friday, is likely to be replaced by Jatiyatabadi Secchasebok Dal President Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel.
The new city committee is almost finalised and the BNP high command is likely to announce the committee within few days, said a standing committee member.
Amid speculations about major overhaul in BNP’s organisational structure, he said, the party high command may of for retaining freedom fighter Sadeque Hossain Khoka and Sohel to bring dynamism in the party leadership.
Talking to journalists, BNP standing committee member Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah said the new city committee would be formed soon but he does not know as to who would be included in it.
He however said the experienced and tested leaders might be included in the new committee so that they could carryout party programme successfully. “Indeed, the new committee will be comprised with experienced and new leadership,” he added.
The BNP leader said discussion over formation of the committee is on and the committee would be announced soon.
Sources said the formation of new city committee has been delayed due to upazila parisahd polls and party top leaders were in jails.
The city committee of BNP came under scrutiny and widespread criticism for its failure during the BNP’s agitation for caretaker government and opposition to January 5 general polls.
Amid criticism, Sadeque Hossain Khoka on March 12 announced that he was ready to give up his party leadership to pave the way for new leadership.
After his surprise announcement, many names including standing committee members Mirza Abbas, ASM Hannan Shah and Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah and Abdul Awal Mintoo cropped up to lead the city BNP but there was no taker for the highest position in the city BNP.
City BNP leader Abdul Quaiym said he came to know that the new city committee is going to be reorganised retaining Sadeque Hossain Khoka in his position and Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel at its member secretary.
He said a convening committee of the city BNP might be formed.
Khoka had taken the decision to quit from the position to make way for reforms in the party and help it wage a fresh movement against the government.
Khoka, who went to Singapore on Wednesday for treatment and will return home on April 10, has been heading the city unit of the BNP since 2011.
He has had a good hold among the central leadership and there was no serious threat to his leadership in the first 15 years. In the last two years, he however, has been under pressure for failing to rejuvenate the party and form the full-fledged committee.
After reorganisation of the city committee, the other party affiliates like the Secchasebok Dal may undergo total overhaul to gear up the party leadership for future movement, insiders said. – Staff Reporter
