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Scopes little, exercise tough

SHAKHAWAT L1TON and Rakjb Hasnet Suman
The BNP national executive committee did not sit in last four years though the party charter before recent amendments required it to meet at least once in every three months.
The last time it met was in September 2005. Since then no move had been made to convene the executive committee comprised of over 250 leaders from central and grassroots levels.
The amendments brought to the BNP constitution this month have relaxed that time limit. The amended charter now says meeting biannuallywould suffice.
The national standing committee, the highest policy-making body in BNP. too did not meet regularly. The pre-amendment charter prescribed a meeting every month. FROM PAGE 1
The latest changes have raised the lime gap between two standing committee meetings to three months from one. They haw also increased the number of committee members from 15 to 19.
Asked why party forums meet irregularly. Dr RA Ghani, standing committee member, yesterday told The Daily Star they are not searching for reasons for something that had happened in the past.
“From now on. meetings of the forums will be held regularly." he added.
1 Ie said though the commit -tees did not meet regularly, the chairperson took decisions regarding running of the organisation in consultation with the party ’s “core group".
However, within a short period of time before the national council on December 8. the standing committee held a number of meetings to firm up the proposals for amendments to die party charter.
The national council, which was held after 16 years, has relaxed the provision for its meeting as well.
Earlier, die provision said the national council shall convene at least once a year, while the amended one says it should meet once a year, if possible.
The council however did little to ensure the practice of democracy within the party, much to the frustration of the rank and file.
Instead of proposing way's to increase intra-party democracy. the BNP high command worked some amendments that have given the party chief even more authority and stretched the time limit for the executive and standing com-mittees to meet, said several BNP leaders who longed to see an end to the authoritarian nature of decision-making in the organisation.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has emerged stronger than ever from the council.
She still holds the power to dissolve anytime the standing and executive committees, among others. She also enjoys the authority to determine unilaterally the responsibilities and jurisdiction of the executive committee's officebearers..
Speaking in return for anonymity. a senior BNP leader said the amended constitution seems more undemocratic compared to the previous one.
Besides securing more authority for herself, the BNP chairperson has successfully-cleared the way for his son Tarique Rahman to ascend to the party helm.
It was she who placed the proposal before the standing committee for creating the post of a senior vice-chairman a few days before the national council, said a standing com-mitree member.
On December 8, Tarique was elected vice-chairman who shall lead the party in absence of Khaleda Zia. And if the post of chairperson falls vacant, he will assume the responsibilities and hold those for the rest of the tenure.
After Khaleda Zia was released from jail, the standing committee on September 13 last year passed a resolution empowering her to lead the organisation for life.
But in the wake of criticism, the BNP chairperson declined to accept the motion.
To meet the criteria for registration with the EC, BNP had included some new' provisions in its charter, empowering the national council to elect chairperson and other officebearers for the standing and
executive committees.
But things were different at the December 8 council. Tarique was elected senior vice-chairman while his mother had already been re elected chairperson unopposed.
Besides, the council authorised Khaleda to pick the remaining members and office-bearers for the standing and executive committees.
BNP which suffered a massive debacle in the last parliamentary election, included a number of controversial leaders in the standing and executive committees.
And in so doing, it ignored a provision in its constitution that says individuals with image tainted by corruption cannot be a member of the party.
Meanwhile, as the main opposition, BNP could not play a constructive role in parliament. It has been boyconing the House since the second session, disregarding its electoral pledges against parliament boycott.
In its electoral manifesto, it said it would not allow a lawmaker to be absent from parliament for 30 consecutive sittings. They announced so to end the culture of parliament boycott.
Outside the House, the party however ran a massive campaign against India's proposed Tipaimukh Dam project. I'he efforts drew attention of the common people.
As part of a drive to revamp the organisation, BNP arranged councils in 49 out of 75 organisational districts. Besides, new committees were formed in some 200 upazilas before the national council.
The main opposition however did not enforce any major street agitation against the government in last one year.