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BNP chief’s power consolidated further

Changed constitution ensures Tarique's eventual leadership

SHAKHAWAT LlTON and Rakib Hasnet Suman
The BNP chairman, once elected, cannot be removed anymore as the provision for such removal was deleted from the party's constitution in Tuesday's national council, which also brought some more changes to consolidate the party chiefs authority.
In a surprise move, the BNP opted for abolishing the provision of removing the chairman.
This instrument of the BNP constitution has never been required to be practised.
The deleted provision would require a requisition meeting of the national coun-
cil convened on demand from at least two-thirds councillors and support of at least three-fourths of them in favour of the motion.
Removal of the chairperson will be the only aim of such council and the reason for removal must be specified, the provi-
sion maintained.
At the fifth national council of BNP on December 8, the provision was replaced by a new one on the duties, power and responsibilities of the newly created post of senior vice-chairman, according to a document containing proposals for amendments to the BNP charter.
The Daily Star obtained a copy of these proposals placed and approved at Tuesday's national council.
Asked about it, BNP Joint Secretary General Goyeshwar Chandra Roy claimed that a new provision was included in the party constitution regarding removal of "any" officebearer.
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"A no-confidence motion will be rejected if it fails to get support of two-thirds of the coun-ciUors," Goyeshwar told The Daily Star yesterday over telephone.
However, the document does not have this provision.
It shows a new provision was brought to die provision on holding any national council meeting. The provision says any demand raised in such meetings will be rejected if it fails to obtain support of two-thirds councillors.
Within moments of deletion and inclusion of die provisions in the council session, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Tarique Rahman was elected the party’s senior vice-chairman unopposed.
The new provision gave more sweeping power to both the party chief and the senior vice-chairman.
It says the senior vice-chairman will assist the part)' chief in discharging his or her duties and will perform any responsibility assigned to him by the part)' chief. The senior vice-chairman will be the acting part)- chairman in temporary absence of the party chief.
"If the post of chairman falls vacant on any ground, senior vice-chairman will fill the vacuum and discharge the responsibilities of the chairman for the rest of the tenure," the new provision says.
Another new provision empowers the BNP chairman to appoint special assistants, if necessary, to assist him/her to run part)' activities. The part)’ chairman himself/herself will specify the number of these special assistants and determine their organisational status, it says.
Another provision empowers the party chairman to fill up the vacuum in the party's national standing and executive committees.
Earlier, a provision was included in BNP’s constitution to make it compliant with the Representation of the People Order (RPO). empowering the party’ national council to hold election to the posts of office bearers and members of the two committees. .
Another amendment to the party charter empowers the BNP chairman to continue his/her duties as party chief after expiry of tenure until a new chairman is elected and assumes office.
Amending the constitution, the tenure of the chairman was increased to three years from two years. The tenure of the national executive committee was also increased to three years from two years and it will continue functioning until a new committee assumes charges after election.
Regarding taking disciplinary actions against party members, an amendment to the constitution provides more authority to the party chief, saying a party member aggrieved by a disciplinary action can file an appeal with
the chairman against the decision. The party chief will make the final decision, it says.
According to the existing provisions in BNP's charter, the party chief is empowered to take disciplinary actions against party leaders and members on an urgent basis.
In exercise of this authority, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on September 3.2007 expelled the then secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and joint secretary general Ashraf Hossain who moved to bring reforms in the party to ensure democracy within it. Their reform proposals were also aimed at excluding Khaleda, who has been holding the post since 1983, from the party helm.
For registering with the Election Commission ahead of the ninth parliamentary polls, a provision was included for election to the posts of office bearers and members of the party's national standing and executive committees, literally curtailing the party chiefs exercising power to make appointments to those posts.
But, Tuesday's national council which was held after a gap of 16 years, empowered Khaleda to nominate office bearers and members of the two bodies including party's secretary general as she did in past.
According to the new provision, Khaleda, who was reelected the chairperson on December 4, Tarique Rahman, who was elected the senior vice-chairman on Tuesday, and the person to be made the secretary general will also be considered as elected members of the committee.
The existing provisions in the BNP charter still empower the BNP chairperson to dissolve the two committees and any other committee nominated by her if she thinks necessary and the party chief does not require consulting with tile national council to do so.
As the chief of both the committees, the party chairperson will determine the jurisdiction and functions of the office bearers and members of the two committees.
But changes were made in the party charter regarding the timeframe for holding meetings of the part)' forums.
The national standing committee will now sit at least once in three months instead of one month while the national executive committee will sit at least once in six months instead of the previous three months.
Instead of holding the council meeting once a year the national council itself will be held once ayear, if possible.
The secretary general will convene the meeting of the national council upon the party chiefs suggestion in writing, says the amended provision. In the past, the secretary general could do so on consultation with the party chief.