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| Bangladesh |
| Khaleda stares down the barrel |
| 2007-04-13 |
| The BNP faces the worst ever crisis in its history as a chasm has been formed within the party dividing its leaders regarding Khaleda Zia's usefulness as the chief. Some leaders opine in privacy that the BNP would be better off without Khaleda, who lost popularity inside the party in the last five years so much so that the rebel leaders feel little support the once iron-lady would get from the party if she is forced to leave the country. Most of the leaders and activists also believe the rumour that her 'forced' departure from the country is only a matter of time. Sources said Khaleda does not want to leave the country under any pressure although a group of leaders are trying to convince her to leave the country to avoid any more damage in the changed situation. Communications Adviser and Chief of the National Corordination Committee, MA Matin, however ruled out the possibility of any such move by the government. But intelligence sources confirmed they have started to gather information about corruption and misuse of power against Khaleda, hinting that those might be used to make her leave the country. Khaleda is reportedly under strict surveillance and has been asked by the 'authorities' to refrain from meeting any party colleague; at the same time party leaders have also been asked not to visit her cantonment residence. Even regular guests trying to visit her at her residence have also been reportedly turned away by the security personnel posted in front the house. Sources said a severe intra-party conflict surfaced within BNP on Tuesday as a group of party leaders sent a statement to newspapers using the name of Khaleda Zia, which in her name urged the armed forces to keep themselves above any controversy. According to the sources a group of BNP leaders and former officials of the Prime Minister's Office prepared the statement and sent it to different newspapers from the office of a newspaper owned by Tarique Rahman. But senior leaders of BNP including Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan told The Daily Star that they did not know anything about the statement. Expressing deep concern and dissatisfaction regarding the statement the BNP leaders said the incident caught them by surprise as they 'do not even know who is running the party now a days' and how the BNP chairperson's statement was issued from the office of a newspaper. "The statement is nothing but a conspiracy against BNP and Khaleda Zia... although a group of party leaders and some former officials of the Prime Minister's Office are involved in it," a BNP leader said. |
| Posted by:Fred |