The old conflict between hard liners and liberals within the BNP has surfaced again over some vital issues including movement strategy and restructuring of its policy making bodies and front organisations.

Sources concerned said both the groups are blaming each other for 'failure' to launch a vigorous street movement lo unseat the government. They also accused each other of maintaining good relations with the government.

The hard liners have long been trying to persuade BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to remove party Secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan for his 'failure' to strengthen the party and launch a vigorous move-

On the other hand, this liberals blamed the hard liners for taking imprudent' decisions and giving ill advice' to the party Chairperson. The hard liners are misguiding the party and the current movement is not gel ting momentum due to these extremists', they say.

A senior leader of the party, who belongs to the hard line group, told The Dally Star. The so called moderates' within the partv have been maintaining good relations with the 'government and do not want to intensify the oust-government movement."

He said the party Chairperson has been dependent on the moderate section’ since late Abdus Salam Talukder was replaced by Mannan Bhuiyan, but she has now realised that the moderates have miserably' failed both to strengthen the party and to Intensify the movement.

But a top leader. lenown as a liberal, said the hard liners have greatly harmed the party and misguided the Chairperson by-giving her ill advice on different important occasions.

He said ihe hard liners had advised Khaleda Zia and al-mosi convinced her to go for resignation from parliament over two years ago to implement an evil design of the gov- ernmrni. but lortunately "we succeeded in preventing her Irom taking such a suicidal decision".

The hard liners have now started hectic lobbying for inclusion of their men in the Standing Committee, the high est decision making body of BNP; the Executive Committee of the party and for bringing changes in the front organisations and promotion of some leaders.

Two posts have been lying vacant in the 15-member Standing Committee for long due hi the absence' of Maj Gen (Reul) Majidul Haq and death of Alxhis Salam Talukder.

Some influential party lead ers are trying to bring back Majidul Haq in the party politics. He has no contact with the party after the Jrne 12. 1996 parliamentary polls.

Both the groups are Lying to persuade the party Chairperson to include their men in the Standing Committee. Advisory Council and the Executive Committee.

The leaders whose names figure prominently for the Standing Committee posts are Barrister Nazmul Huda MP. Col (Retd) Akbar Hossain MP. M Shamsul Islam MP. Tariqul Islam and Salahuddin Qader Chowdhury MP.

Nazmul Huda was previously member of the Standing Committee. Akbar Hossain refused to accept the post of vice chairman of the party and Salahuddin Qader is not holding any important party post.

Both the hard liners and moderates, however, blamed Khaleda for ‘not taking quick decisions' on changes oi leadership and other issues and for not evaluating' dedicated leaders and activists.

Some sources in BNP said the leadership conflict' and Khaleda's 'go slow' policy are responsible for 'stagnation' in activities of the par*y and its front organisations and are creating crises one after another.

A close aide of Khaleda Zia said there is no possibility of inclusion of members in the Standing Committee and dropping of any one from any important post in the near future.

"Nothing will happen immediately ... She is now hearing everybody and gathering information on activities of both the hard liners and moderates. She has been leading the party for over a decade and is well aware of her responsibilities," he added

Some sources, however, apprehended that the conflict within the party may take a serious turn if the issues are not settled immediately.