The much-awaited sixth national council of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will be held at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh on Saturday amid much enthusiasm and expectations of rejuvenate the party rank and file through it.
The council will bring about a number of amendments to the party charter including increasing the size of BNP national executive committee enhancing the number of secretarial, vice chairman posts and with provision for one leader not holding more than one post, according to party sources.
The standing committee may get at least five to seven new faces as the central bodies are recasting through the council.
The leaders who might be inducted in the standing committee are: Abdullah Al Noman, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Dr Osman Faruk, Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Selima Rahman, Maj (Retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed and Advocate Khandaker Mahbub Hossain.
The number of vice chairman is likely to be increased by 35 from the present 16.
The provision to create a new post for additional secretary general instead of senior joint secretary general and 27 subject-wise sub-committees may be included in the party charter. Each sub-committee will have 15-members, who will enjoy status of a executive committee, said the sources.
Besides, the party may get 11 joint secretary generals posts instead of existing seven while 11 organising secretaries and 22 assistant organising secretaries instead of present seven.
The amendments would be the part of party constitution after it would be placed and considered by the councilors.
The inaugural ceremony of the daylong council will scheduled to be held at 10:00am with party chairperson Khaleda Zia in the chair.
The council is going to be held after six years after the last council in 2009 after the party’s stumbled in two of its movements against the government for holding the national election under a non-partisan government.
All preparations have already been completed to make the national council a success, according to party leaders. Sitting arrangements for councilors and invited guests were arranged in the IEB auditorium and its premises while for delegates and party activists at the adjacent part of the Suhrawardy Udyan.
The leaders are expecting that over 50,000 people including about 3,100 councilors, 9,000 delegates and about 800 invited guests would take part in the inaugural session.
Some foreign guests have already arrived Dhaka to take part in the council but the party leaders accused the government of delaying the visa process.
The theme of the council is “We will free the democracy,” and the slogan is “The corruption and misrule must end, Bangladesh in democracy.”
Khaleda Zia has already been reelected as party chairperson while Tarique Rahman as senior vice chairman. The election to other posts might not be held in the council like the previous council.
The councilors might delegate the authority to Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman to announce the names of the new leadership either form the council or after the council, according to party insiders.
BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman, who is now in self exile in London, may deliver his speech through video conference.
The closed-door council session will start at 3:00pm and likely to continue till midnight.
BNP standing committee member Goyeshwar Chandra Roy said the preparation of the council has almost been completed.
He said, large number of people from different parts of the country has already crowded the IEB premises and Suhrawardy Udyan with much enthusiasm and emotion.
“There will be unexpected presence of people since they are holding the council after long break,” he added.
Meanwhile, convenor of international sub-committee Shafik Rehman told The Independent that many foreign guests cannot take part in the council due to complication in the visa process.
He said the party got permission for council venue in late and created complication in issuance of visa for foreign guests.
According to him, a British lawmaker and two delegates in the USA have arrived till last night.
BNP sources said some 400 BNP leaders staying abroad would also participate in the council. – Staff Reporter
