Dhaka, June 25 (bdnews24.com) -- So-called BNP reformists Monday unveiled a 15-point party reform plan, including a clear proposal to curb the powers of the BNP chairperson.
BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan made the plan public while chairperson Khaleda Zia separately rushed to 'welcome' the plan apparently to be part of the reform process as the party head.
Bhuiyan broke the plan at a news briefing at his Gulshan home after a meeting with senior party leaders, earlier branded by Khaleda as "a minority group".
"Our proposal has been designed the way all BNP leaders and workers want reforms to the party. It's a draft proposal, not final," Bhuiyan said.
The BNP cannot shape up into a democratic party without cutting the powers of the party chief, he said.
"The reforms have to be made to take the party forward and keep it up-to-date. It's a demand of the time," he said, as he elaborated the much-talked-about plan.
Bhuiyan said the reform plan was designed in discussion with party leaders and workers.
The council or party forum will make the reform final once the ban on indoor politics goes, Bhuiyan said.
"It's a proposal from BNP leaders. If anybody can come up with a better plan, we will consider it," he added.
A copy of the reform plan will be sent to Khaleda, Bhuiyan told reporters earlier in the day. Syed Emran Saleh Prince, assistant office secretary for the BNP, was assigned to reach the copy to Khaleda at her Cantonment home, but military policemen did not allow him in.
Bhuiyan in his written proposal said: "The party's millions of dedicated activists have no relations with the misdeeds of a section of party leaders that are coming through media."
"A disaster has descended on the party because of the failure to hold the planned Jan 22 elections. Our grassroots activists and leaders are still confused about who brought such a catastrophe to the party," Bhuiyan said.
"I hope this epoch-making reform proposal has brought a chance to halt the effort to push the party into family dynasty," he said.
The new plan has proposed scrapping of the party chief's authority in amending the party constitution for any emergency need, a proposal that means Khaleda as the incumbent party chairperson will lose her long-exercised, absolute powers.
The chief of the party will be elected for three years by the members of the council and no persons would be allowed to hold the post for more than two terms—a provision that clearly indicates that Khaleda's future in BNP politics is fading.
Since Khaleda has been at the helm of the BNP since 1984, attracting blame for crafting dynastic politics, it would be impossible for her to be at the top if the plan gets through.
Nobody from the party could be prime minister for more than twice, according to a proposal.
The plan says if the party chief chooses to become prime minister after elections, he has to abandon his party post.
To end the dynastic politics in the BNP, all efforts to include BNP leaders' family members and close relatives into the party committee on all levels should be discouraged.
Regarding the appointment of advisers to the party chairperson, it has been proposed that the party chairperson can appoint the highest 15 advisers with the approval from the party's national standing committee.
But the appointment must be approved in the next meeting of the party's executive committee.
The party treasurer would collect the party fund and maintain balance-sheet. The party's account will be opened with any commercial bank.
The account will be maintained with the signatures of any two of the party president, treasurer and general secretary. But the signature of the treasurer is mandatory.
The party account must be audited every year, and the publication of the audit report must be complete in six months after a fiscal year expires.
The party fund will be created through subscription of the members and by collecting donations. At all levels, grants must be taken against receipt.
The party's budget must be prepared every year, and the statement of income and expenditure must be placed at every meeting.
Ministers, MPs, standing committee members, executive committee members, district and thana committee members of the party have to submit their wealth statements to the national executive committee every year, it said.
A watch committee will be formed soon to identify the party men tied with corruption, nepotism and misuse of power that tainted the party's image.
The committee will take action against the guilty, according to the proposal.
The conference of all party committees must be complete by the deadline stipulated in the party constitution.
The party candidates must submit their wealth statements to be scrutinised by the party before elections.
The reform measures, which the Election Commission will enforce in future, have to be adjusted with the BNP constitution, the proposal said.
Bhuiyan had earlier held a meeting with party leaders including M Saifur Rahman, Mahbubur Rahman, Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf, Hafizuddin Ahmed, Inam Ahmed Chowdhury, AHM Mofazzal Karim, ZA Khan, Mosharraf Hossain Shajahan, Hahmudul Hasan, Ashraf Hossain, Selima Rahman and Abdul Alim.
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