BNP names members of its leaders’ families in new committee

Over a dozen members of BNP leaders’ families have been named in the party’s new committee.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced the fully-fledged committee of 502 members at the party’s Naya Paltan Headquarters on Saturday, nearly four and a half months after the party held its council.

Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman was elected senior vice-chairman unopposed at the council.

Several days later, Mirza Fakhrul was named secretary general.

The organising secretaries included former secretary general KM Obaidur Rahman’s daughter Shama Obaid.

Such members of BNP leaders’ families were also named in the new committee announced on Saturday.

Hummam Quader Chowdhury

Faisal Alim

“The committee has been formed considering the qualities needed for an organisation,” Mirza Fakhrul said.

Asked why ‘such a big committee’ had been formed, he said the number of ‘active participants’ has increased and leaders from the party’s student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and youth front Juba Dal ‘needed to be ready’.

Mirza Fakhrul’s younger brother Mirza Faisal Amin is a member of the new committee. He has recently been elected mayor of Thakurgaon municipality with the BNP’s ‘paddy sheaf’ symbol.

Their brother-in-law, retired Lt Gen Mahbubur Rahman, is a member of the Standing Committee.

Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain’s son, Supreme Court lawyer Khandaker Maruf Hossain, and hanged war criminal and member of the Standing Committee Salauddin Quader Chowdhury’s son Hummam Quader Chowdhury made it to the Central Executive Committee.

Shama Obaid

Mirza Faisal Amin

Salauddin Quader’s brother Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury has been named vice-chairman.

Another Standing Committee Member, Jamiruddin Sircar’s son lawyer Nawshad Jamir, has been made international affairs secretary.

He is also working as legal counsel for Tarique Rahman.

Khaleda Zia has made Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas’ wife Afroza Abbas the party’s assistant women’s affairs secretary. Afroza Abbas made the headlines while campaigning for her husband at the Dhaka South City Corporation mayoral election.

Abbas’ younger brother, former city corporation ward councillor Mirza Khokon, has become a member of the Executive Committee.

Afroza Abbas

Tabith Awal

Vice-Chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo’s son Tabith Awal has also been named a member of the Executive Committee. Bangladesh Football Federation Vice-President Tabith contested the Dhaka North mayoral election on the BNP’s ticket.

Standing Committee Member Tariqul Islam’s son Aninda Islam Amit has been made assistant organising secretary.

Standing Committee Member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy’s daughter Aparna Rani Roy has been given the post of assistant secretary for marginal and manpower development affairs.

Gayeshwar’s son Nitai Roy has been named vice-chairman while daughter-in-law Nipun Roy has become Executive Committee member.

Khaleda has also given a post to Nasima Akhter Kalpana, the widow of the party’s leader Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintoo, who died in jail. Kalpana has been given membership in the Executive Committee.

Salahuddin Ahmed, who has been named a member of the Standing Committee, has his wife former MP Hasina Ahmed in the Executive Committee. Salahuddin is facing trial in India for trespassing.

Khandaker Maruf Hossain

Mir Helal Uddin

Tahsina Rushdir Luna, the wife of former organising secretary M Ilias Ali, ‘missing’ for years, is among 73 member’s of Khaleda’s Advisory Council.

Standing Committee Member Rafiqul Islam Miah’s wife Shahida Rafique has also become a member of the council.

Former Minister Hrunar Rashid khan along with his daughter Afroza Khan Rita are also in the council. Rita is closed newspaper Amar Desh’s editor Mahmudur Rahman’s sister-in-law.

International Affairs Secretary Nasir Uddin Asim is Advisory Council member former state minister Abdul Mannan’s son-in-law.

Late whip Jahed Ali Chowdhury’s son Fahim Chowdhury is a member of the Executive Committee now.

Late secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain’s son Abdul Hamid Dablu is retained in the committee.

Businessman Faisal Alim, son of late war criminal Abdul Alim, who had been sentenced to prison until death, has been made a member of BNP’s Central Committee.

Aparna Roy

Tahsina Rushdir Luna

Late industries minister M Shamsul Islam Khan’s son Moinul Islam Shanta has been made member of Khaleda’s Advisory Council.

Former environment minister Shajahan Siraj’s wife Rabeya Siraj has been given the post of assistant weaver affairs secretary.

Former state minister Alamgir Kabir’s brother Anwar Hossain Bulu has been made member of Executive Committee while late finance minister Saifur Rahman’s son Md Naser Rahman has been kept as a member of the Central Committee.

Vice-Chairman Mir Nasir Uddin’s son Mir Helal Uddin has also been made a member of the committee.

Khaleda has made Democratic League’s late president Oli Ahad’s daughter lawyer Rumin Farhana assistant international affairs secretary of the BNP. Democratic League is BNP’s partner in the 20-Party Alliance.