The main opposition BNP will not go for any tough programmes for the time, concentrating rather on mass campaign and enhancing its organisational strength.
The party made the decision at a meeting of its Standing Committee last night as it thought there was still time for coming to a political understanding to resolve the existing deadlock.
The meeting also discussed what US Ambassador to Bangladesh Dan W Mozena had told party Chairperson Khaleda Zia on August 12.
Mozena had expressed his dislike for hartal and Khaleda had told him that if the government wanted to reach an understanding, her party would not go for any tough political programmes.
The Standing Committee meeting yesterday also discussed holding of the national council of the party, but it could not reach any decision on this.
“The BNP chairperson will start visiting different districts and divisional headquarters soon while the central leaders will conduct mass campaign,” Tariqul Islam, a Standing Committee member, said yesterday.
The meeting of the opposition party’s highest policymaking body was held at Khaleda’s Gulshan office with her in the chair.
Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain, M Shamsul Islam, RA Gani, Toriqul Islam, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mahbubur Rahman, MK Anwar, Hannan Shah, Rafiqul Islam Miah, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Mirza Abbas, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and acting secretary general of the party Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir were present in the meeting.
Earlier in the morning, Mirza Fakhrul held a meeting with the party’s organising secretaries and joint secretaries general at the party’s Nayapaltan headquarters.
The meeting decided that party Chairperson and Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia would visit the divisional headquarters and some districts to garner the party’s support in favour of its demand for election under a non-partisan interim government.
Apart from the party chief, more than 150 central leaders will go to the grassroots to build up the organisational strength to survey the popularity of the possible candidates for the next general elections and remove intraparty feuds, party insiders said.
Committees were formed for 75 organisational districts headed by 53 leaders that include Standing Committee members, vice-chairmen, advisers, joint secretaries general and organising secretaries, a senior leader told the Dhaka Tribune, seeking anonymity.
Mirza Fakhrul asked party leaders at the meeting to prepare for campaigns prior to Khaleda’s tour of the organisational districts and divisional headquarters.
Before the chairperson’s tour is slated for mid-September, the mass campaign programmes should be finished, said a senior leader.
An organising secretary of the party, seeking anonymity, told the Dhaka Tribune: “There will be no tough movement next month if we are not compelled, but demonstrations on some specific issues are likely to be held.”
Abdullah Al Noman, a vice-chairman of the party, said the campaign would start and end within this month.
“I am entrusted with looking after affairs in Dhaka, Narsingdi and Noakhali districts,” he told the Dhaka Tribune.
The BNP will observe a week-long programme to mark its founding anniversary on September 1. It will also observe Khaleda’s detention in and release from jail on September 3 and September 11 during the last army-backed caretaker government’s rule.
The former premier will hold a meeting with the team leaders tomorrow and give them necessary directives, Noman said.
All leaders tasked with organisational duties will hold meetings in their areas to resolve intraparty feuds and mobilise mass support. Besides, they will survey the popularity of potential candidates.