& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

BNP National Council

Intense pressure to create Tarique's post

Rakib Hasnet Suman
In the run-up to BNP's national council, all eyes are focused on what position Tarique Rahman is about to get in the party, while its rank and file are mounting pressure on the leadership to create a whole new post just for him, said party insiders.
They said a post of co-chairperson or senior vice-president might be created for Chairperson Khaleda Zia's elder son Tarique, who was arrested during the immediate past caretaker regime on charges of corruption, and
now staying in London.
Standing Committee Member Dr RA Gani however told The Daily Star last evening that there has been a plan to create a post of co-chairperson, but till now the matter has not come to the committee as a formal proposal.
Meanwhile, papers of candidacy submitted by Khaleda Zia, the lone candidate for the post of chairperson, was declared valid yesterday by the party's election commission formed for BNP Chairperson Election 2009.
Khandaker Delwar Hossain, the incumbent FROM PAGE 1
secretary’ general, might also remain in the post, as the possibility of replacing him has become slim, although a group of influential leaders are strongly lobbying against him.
The party is now finalising the list of councillors and delegates, and many leaders like Dhaka City Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka might be included by way of the chairperson's nomination quota.
According to the BNP constitution, the chairperson has the authority to nominate an additional 10 percent people as councillors.
I he other councillors are the members of the standing committee, national executive committee and the parliamentary party, and the presidents and general secretaries of the executive committees of all levels.
The election commission's returning officer, Dr RA Gani, also a member of the standing committee yesterday said, "We have found Khaleda Zia's candidacy for the post of chairperson as valid, and she will be declared unofficially elected tomorrow, which is the last date for withdrawal of candidacy."
"But the official declaration will come through the national council on December 8," he added.
The party insiders said the likelihood of Delwar's continuation in the post of secretary general has almost been sealed by Khaleda Zia's and Tarique Rahman's contentment over his 'loyalty' and 'performance' in the last two years.
A group of party leaders are however trying to replace Delwar and lobbying for a former state minister, as they think a younger secretary general will be more efficient in touring the country for reorganisation of the party.
Khaleda appointed Delwar the secretary general on September 2,2007 on the eve of her arrest by the immediate past caretaker emergency
regime, after expelling former secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan from the organisation for breach of discipline.
Younger leaders who were close to Tarique during BNP's last stint in power, are now trying to ensure his supremacy in the upcoming national council, the insiders said.
A number of senior leaders are also backing the pro-Tarique group as they think Delwar's control within the party will be curbed if! arique is included in the central executivecommittee.
They already proposed to party high-ups creation of a post of co-chairperson or senior vice-president for Tarique, so he gets the opportunity to organise the party soon after his return from abroad.
BNP lawmaker Rehana Akhter Ranu told I he Daily Star last night th.it both the party and the country will be emboldened under the leadership of Tarique Rahman in the future, and that is why they want to see him in the party leadership.
Meanwhile, all s u b -committees formed for the national council are busy putting the final touches on their preparations for the council.
The management subcommittee led by Mirza Abbas is scheduled to meet today in Bangabandhu International Conference Centre, the venue for the council.
Mirza Abbas told reporters yesterday that 150 seats will be reserved for guests from different political parties, including one for ruling Awami League President Sheikh Hasina.
The foreign affairs subcommittee led by Shafik Rehman will also meet today to finalise the list of invited foreign guests, while the cultural affairs sub-committee visited the council venue yesterday for their programme planning.