BNP reformists shows the door Zia to quit post of Chairperson

Dhaka, Jun 25 (UNI) Signaling a formal rift in former ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), reformists today made a reform proposal showing the door to ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who will quit the party's chairmanship post.

Pro-reformists led by BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan put forward the reforms proposals to reporters, saying that a person will not be able to hold the post of Chairperson in three-year term more than twice or six years altogether.

This means that Begum Zia, the widowed wife of slain President Ziaur Rahman, will not be able to hold the chairmanship any longer.

She has held the helm of BNP for last 23 years since she was brought in active politics in 1984 as a uniting figure for the party founded by her husband.

The reformists proposed the abolition of absolute power of the BNP Chairperson, for the proposed democratisation of the immediate-past ruling party.

However, the proposals do not speak anything about the tenure of the BNP Secretary General.

''This is a draft proposal, not final. We will accept better proposals if there be any,'' he told reporters. The final decision on the proposed reforms will be made after the lifting of ban on indoor politics. The political activities are banned since the declaration of the state of emergency by the military-backed government on January 11.

In her remarks to local media, Begum Zia said BNP councilors will take the final decision about any reform in accordance with the party constitution. She said reforms can not be done at the wish of handful of party leaders.

Begum Zia, who handed over power as Prime Minister to the interim caretaker government on October 28 last year is living at her Dhaka Cantonment residence under strict restrictions on her movement.

Her eldest son Tarique Rahman and scores of former Ministers and MPs are either jailed or detained on charges of corruption and making illegal fortune while in power.

Asked why the proposed reforms were chalked out without consulting her, Mannan Bhuiyan did not give any straight answer, but hastened to add: ''We will send a copy of the proposal to the Chairperson.'' On being asked if they had put forward the proposals under any pressure in the changed context, he said the reform proposals are a reflection of aspiration of BNP leaders and workers. ''All leaders and workers of BNP are in favour of reform.'' Asked whether they announced the reforms to avoid arrest in the ongoing drive which threw many political heavyweights behind bars, Mr Bhuiyan said, ''Not at all. BNP cannot be made democratic party until the absolute power of the chairperson is curtailed.'' Political sources gave broad hint that a similar move is on within another major political party of Awami League headed by another ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

A number of senior leaders of her party is busy in preparing reform proposals in a bid to remove Ms Hasina from the post of the Awami League President. She has been holding the post since 1981 as a symbol of unity of Awami League.

Ms Hasina, eldest daughter of Bangladesh's founding leader and first President slain Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, also said any reform of the party must be done with the consent of the party's councilors.

Like her bitter rival Begum Zia, Awami League chief Ms Hasina is also facing restrictions on her movement and meeting the people.

Both Khaleda and Hasina are also facing several criminal cases of extortion under the present regime. There is widespread public perception is that the army backed caretaker government wants to see the two ex-Prime Ministers out of domestic politics for their alleged indulgence towards corruption. Law and Information Advisor Barrister Mainul Husein, however, repeatedly denied it.

UNI