Dhaka, Sept 3 (bdnews24.com) – Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan Monday brushed aside his expulsion as secretary general by detained BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia as a step against party constitution.
Bhuiyan said leaders and workers would not go by the chairperson's decision. "We will make the next move in consultation with the party leaders and workers."
He maintained that he was in BNP and ruled out floating a new party and said the chairperson's decision to expel a secretary general without serving a show cause notice was unprecedented.
In presence of some senior party leaders at his Gulshan home Monday afternoon, Bhuiyan said the decision of the party chairperson to expel him was "undemocratic, against the party constitution and unacceptable".
He urged the followers to stand united at the critical juncture of the party and follow the ideals of late president Ziaur Rahman.
"Don't be misled by any undemocratic step including the expulsion order."
In a brief written statement, Bhuiyan said, "We have taken initiatives for necessary reforms to reorganise the BNP in a bid to save it from the image problem it had suffered before the January 11 historical changeover.
"Honest and dedicated leaders and workers of the party from all levels and people have expressed their support to our initiative.
"But some steps which hamper unity of the party at this hour of crisis make us wary. The announcement of expulsion is nothing but a reflection of such steps."
He also rejected Khaleda's expulsion of joint secretary general Ashraf Hossain.
He termed the arrest and cases against the party chairperson as sad and said things needed to be settled legally.
Bhuiyan said discussion with the Election Commission on electoral reforms was not possible if the ban on indoor politics stayed.
Later on at a press briefing, standing committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman read out a joint statement of 130 leaders of the executive committee.
The statement described the decision to expel Bhuiyan and Ashraf as undemocratic and against the party constitution.
The leaders in the statement alleged Khaleda pushed president Ziaur Rahman's party toward division by expelling the party secretary general and joint secretary general at a time when the BNP was mired in a deep crisis.
Describing the chairperson's decision as one devoid of far-sightedness, the executive committee leaders urged party leaders and workers to carry forward the reform process.
Earlier in midday, more than 50 leaders including Mahbubur Rahman, Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, AHM Mofazzal Karim, Ashraf Hossain, ZA Khan and Nazir Hossain met at Bhuiyan's home.
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