Bangla Press Desk: The BNP has moved to strengthen its top policymaking body by appointing four new members to its National Standing Committee, filling some long-standing vacancies as the party prepares for a possible national council before the next round of local government elections.The four new members are former Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, BNP Chairman’s Advisory Council members Aman Ullah Aman and Md Ismail Jabiuallah, and former convener of the party’s Dhaka South City Corporation unit Farhad Halim Donor.
With the appointments, the 19-member National Standing Committee now has 16 members. The party said the new inductees would contribute their experience and leadership to its highest policy forum.
A BNP Standing Committee member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the appointments were intended to bring greater dynamism to the party’s organisational activities.
“Four posts remain vacant in the Standing Committee and new and dedicated faces will be added to the committee immediately to bring dynamism in the party’s organisational activities,” he said.
The move comes as the BNP faces several vacancies across its central organisational structure, including in the chairman’s advisory council and the panel of vice-chairmen.
Party insiders said the government is planning to hold local government elections across the country in phases by the end of this year or early next year. The party is also considering holding its long-overdue national council at a suitable time before the local polls.
The BNP’s last national council was held on 19 March 2016. The Standing Committee was reconstituted afterwards, but several positions subsequently fell vacant because of deaths, resignations, promotions and disciplinary action.
The latest appointments follow vacancies caused by the deaths of BNP chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia and Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar. Former After serving as the secretary general for quite a long period, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also resigned from all party and government posts after emerging as a presidential candidate.
At least 11 positions in the chairman’s 85-member advisory council are also vacant, according to a party source. Some members have died, while others have been promoted to the Standing Committee or expelled for violating party rules. Several positions in the 21-member panel of vice-chairmen are also vacant for similar reasons.
The post of senior joint secretary general has also fallen vacant following Rizvi’s promotion to the Standing Committee.
A BNP policymaker said the position was likely to remain vacant until the next national council, expected to be held either at the end of this year or early next year.
The policymaker said Joint Secretary General Habibunnabi Khan Sohel could be considered for promotion to the post, citing his experience and his alleged persecution during the previous Awami League government’s 15-year rule.
