BNP’s extended committee meeting commences, Khaleda Zia to join virtually

The meeting of the extended committee of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) began at the ground adjacent to LD Hall of the parliament building in the capital Thursday morning.

Nearly 4,000 leaders of the party have joined the meeting that started around 11:00 am.

BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia will virtually attend the meeting that is being chaired by the party’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

Party secretary general MIrza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will deliver the welcome address.

BNP has been organising its extended committee meeting under the slogan “Firm unity can thwart all conspiracies”.

Call to national and the party’s unity amid ongoing countrywide restlessness and the 13th parliamentary election are the main objectives of the extended committee meeting, relevant people said.

With this call and the 31-point reform proposals, BNP has set to start its parliament election-oriented activities.

BNP’s publicity affairs secretary Sultan Salauddin announced about Khaleda Zia joining the meeting as its chief guest just 20 minutes before its commencement. Party’s joint secretary general Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie said that Khaleda Zia will address as chief guest the meeting.

Thana and district unit leaders also will be given scope to speak at the meeting while of the central leaders, only Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will address the programme.

This extended committee meeting after a long time has made the BNP leaders and activists enthusiasts. The 31-point reform proposals of the party have been highlighted through placards in the parliament premise.

Members of the party’s standing committee, the chairperson’s advisory council, the central executive committee and the presidents, general secretaries and member secretaries of all metropolitan, district, upazila and municipal committees have attended the meeting, BNP sources said.

Apart from them, those who received final nominations from the party in the 11th parliamentary election in 2018, as well as those who received preliminary nomination letters, are also expected to be present at the meeting that will continue until night.

The meeting started with the inaugural speech of the acting chairman. He will speak again after hearing the opinions of the grassroots leaders.

The party has formed a 27-member implementation committee led by senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, 11-member management committee led by joint secretary general Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, and a 200-member volunteer committee led by central publicity affairs secretary Sultan Salauddin.

Besides, it has constituted reception, hospitality and media committees to make the meeting a success.

Speaking about this, meeting implementation committee convener Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told Prothom Alo that various issues, including unity in party and the country, anti-state conspiracies, price hike, parliamentary election before any other elections will be discussed in the meeting.