Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) started its reformation process this year, five years after its last reformation, to bring in new leaders from different levels ranging from the organisational wards to districts.

The aim of the process was to recognise those activists and leaders who passed the ‘acid test’ of movement.

Directives on completing the councils of the 74 organisational districts across country by 30 September, signed by BNP joint secretary general Mohammad Shahjahan, was sent to the respective districts. But the directives were not followed in any of the districts.

Though there are allegations of internal conflict in some cases, no one admitted it publicly.

Khulna city BNP president Nazrul Islam Manju said ‘It takes at least 39 days to complete councils of 39 units, 5 thanas and 34 ward unions. So it is not possible to complete the councils of all wards, unions and thanas of a city within one month. We have informed it to the central committee and the committee has understood the matter.’

Abul Kalam Shahin, general secretary of Barisal District BNP unit, said that they could not start council activities as many leaders and activists were in jail.

In this regard, Rajshahi city BNP general secretary Shafiqul Haque Milon said, ‘Many leaders and activists were in jail. Some of them are coming out and hopefully we will be able to resume our political activities soon.’

Admitting the reality at the grassroots level, joint secretary general Mohammad Shahjahan hoped that the reformation activities would be carried out overcoming the difficulties.

‘When we started reformation activities, section 144 was imposed in many districts and we were not allowed to open the party offices. Even, the owners of community centres are being directed not to rent those centres to us,’ said Shahjahan.

As a result, the party has decided to lift the time bar for holding the councils at the grassroots level.

‘We will be able to complete the councils of 30-45 districts by the end of October. We will increase time for the grassroot committees to be formed if there are reasonable causes. If we find inactivity without any reasonable cause, steps will be taken against the respective local bodies talking with our leader after she returns home,’ he added.

BNP joint secretary general also informed that the proceedings for the central council will begin after the councils of the organisational districts end.

‘Everythiong will depend on situation. How can we think of a festive central council while we are being hindered at the district and upazila levels? ... We will be able to hold the central council after the end of the district and city councils and through that council we will get new faces in the central committee,’ Shahjahan said.

The current central committee of BNP lost its validity almost three years ago. The last central council was held in December 2009.

Bangla report: Maksudul Hassan

Translated & Edited by: Bijoy Chandra Shaha