Dhaka, July 29 (bdnews24.com) – A dissident BNP leader Sunday said most BNP councillors favoured the proposed reforms rolled out by the secretary general.
"I don't think Brig Gen (retired) ASM Hannan Shah was right when he claimed that not even one-fifth of the BNP councillors want any reforms," BNP chairperson's adviser retired major general ZA Khan said.
Shah Thursday said party 'reformists' commanded the support of no more than 5 percent of councillors. "Their claim comes from their imagination. They will not succeed if they try to move according to these plans," Shah had said.
"I think 60 percent of councillors are in favour of the move and would like to see better democratic practices within the party instead," Khan said to reporters after meeting BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan at his Gulshan home.
Bhuiyan had recently proposed to limit the tenure of party chairperson and secretary general to a maximum of six years.
At a press conference last Friday, he claimed that there was massive support for these proposals throughout the country.
Khan said the statement of Shah was misconstrued.
He said they had been working for three months on reform proposals and that he was in touch with most councillors.
He said he was a member of the BNP advisory council, not an adviser to any party official.
Former BNP lawmakers and district leaders from Gaibandha, Sylhet, Kishoreganj, Manikganj, Netrakona and Mymensingh met the secretary general Sunday.
Khan said they came to see Bhuiyan as they could not go to chairperson Khaleda Zia.
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