BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has expressed her grievances over various comments made by senior party leaders that went viral on social media in recent months.
“If the party is not run by Zia’s ideologies, is it being run by [Sheikh] Hasina’s ideologies?” Khaleda told her senior colleagues at a meeting in her Gulshan office on Monday night.
“If you want to stay in the party, stop making foul comments, or you can leave the party and join Hasina’s cabinet,” she said.
The meeting was the first between Khaleda Zia and the BNP senior leaders after the party failed to oust the government through its two-month-long violent protests.
Over the past few months, audio clips of many senior BNP leaders went viral on social media, in which senior leaders made statements against the party, and even against Khaleda Zia.
“After listening to such statements [by Khaleda], all the senior leaders were surprised and speechless.
“But the situation was later made normal by madam [Khaleda] within a few minutes,” said a senior leader who attended the meeting.
The leader also quoted Khaleda as saying: “The party is now running following the ideology of Zia[ur Rahman]. If you want to stay in the party, be cautious before making any comment. Do not misguide party leaders and activists.
“If you want to comment against the party, then leave. Who is asking you to remain in the party? Go and join Hasina’s cabinet!”
The BNP chairperson also said: “I have every detail on who had done what during the movement. I do not have that much trust upon you. I have full confidence in the grassroots.”
The former premier said the party would be reorganised after Eid-ul-Fitr; dedicated leaders would be evaluated and no compromise would be made at the time.