Dhaka: BNP standing committee members will sit with the party’s senior leaders on Saturday evening to discuss the evolving situation following the jailing of party chairperson Khaleda Zia, and work out its next course of action.

The BNP standing committee members will discuss the country’s overall situation with party chairperson’s advisers, vice chairmen and joint secretaries general at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, said Khaleda’s media wing member Sayrul Kabir Khan.

He said the meeting is scheduled to start at 6:30pm.

This will be the first formal meeting of the BNP top leaders after Khaleda was sent to jail.

On Thursday, a special court here convicted Khaleda and sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

Five other accused in the case, including her son and current acting chairman Tarique Rahman, were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment each. The court also fined the five accused Tk 2.10 crore each

A BNP standing committee member, wishing anonymity, said they will elaborately discuss the current political situation and work out the party’s next course of action.

At the meeting, he said, the standing committee members will ask the other senior leaders to work for strengthening the party and keeping its leaders and activists united and optimistic for winning the next general election.

The BNP policymaker said they will convey the senior leaders the directives of party acting chairman and ask them not to indulge in any political violence and carry out protest against Khaleda’s conviction in a peaceful and democratic manner.

He said they will also ask the leaders to prepare the party for the next general election so that it can return to power foiling all the ‘plots and evil designs to be made by the government’ in the days to come.

The BNP leaders will also be given necessary directions not to fall into any trap of the government and give all concentrations on consolidating the unity of the party rank and file.

He said their party is unlikely to take any imprudent or violent programmes as they think it will only invite danger for the party and ruin its reputation ahead of the next general election slated for December next.

The BNP leader, however, said they will continue to carry out a movement in a peaceful manner to mount pressure on the government to have Khaleda released alongside continuing the legal battle at the apex court.