Differences of opinion between BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and top leaders of the party on vital organisational matters are increasing day by day as the latter urged her to take initiative for self-correction and fire the corrupt ones from the party.

According to party sources, some senior leaders repeatedly urged Khaleda to find out the mistakes the party had made while in power and take disciplinary action against those involved in various wrongdoings and corruption during that period.

But the party chief sharply differed with them, rejected their proposals and angrily asked them not to tell her anything that went against party interests. A heated

debate with her took place in this regard.

"She believes that the BNP did everything right and nothing wrong when in power for the last five years. What is going on in the country now and the 'unexpected' situation for her party are the outcome of conspiracies by certain quarters, " a party high-up said seeking anonymity.

Many of the party leaders are now losing interest in visiting the party's controversial Hawa Bhaban office mainly due to Khaleda's stance that their party did not do anything which led to the present situation in the country, sources pointed out.

In other developments, intraparty conflict is growing at every level between two groups whom

party insiders described as 'corrupt' and 'deprived' ones. Those in the corrupt group made huge money taking advantage of the party's being in power for the last five years but the deprived group did not get any benefits. But in the changed situation now, the corrupt leaders are now on the run.

Against this backdrop, a number of senior central leaders and those from district units met party Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan at his Gulshan residence in the capital in the last few days. They urged him to keep the party on right track to face the changed situation. They also told him that 'unbelievable corruption' at various levels of the party is responsible for the situation the party is now facing and demanded that he must not issue any statement in support of corrupt party men, sources said.

In reply to a question, a senior BNP leader said, "I am trying to refrain from visiting Hawa Bhaban as she (Khaleda Zia) does not want to agree that we had many wrong doings in the last five years."

He also noted that the party was virtually maintaining no contacts with the chief adviser or any advisers of the interim government, or the Election Commission. And this was not a healthy gesture.

Some sources said a group of senior BNP leaders, who were close associates of military ruler HM Ershad during his rule had misguided the party in the last five years to take wrong decisions regarding voter list preparation and caretaker government. And this created the chaotic situation in the country. These leaders are also responsible for the failure of Iajuddin Ahmed-led caretaker government.

Meanwhile, it appears surprising to many that Senior Joint Secretary General of the BNP Tarique Rahman, who was considered very powerful when the party was in power, has not appeared in public since the state of emergency was imposed on January 11.

He does not even go to Hawa Bhaban which he used to visit almost every day before the emergency and would hold talks with party leaders and workers .