After nearly 15 years in opposition, BNP’s return to power this year has shifted its focus from street movements to rebuilding a party organisation weakened by years of political pressure, delayed councils and inactive leadership structures.
As part of that effort, the party is preparing for its national council in December and plans to restructure its central leadership and affiliated bodies beforehand, party sources said.
BNP chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has prioritised rebuilding the party since BNP formed the government following its victory in the February national election.
Although BNP’s constitution requires a national council every three years, the party has failed to maintain that schedule over the past decade due to political pressure, repression and prolonged periods out of power. The same situation has affected its affiliated and associate organisations, creating leadership gaps from the central level to grassroots units and weakening organisational discipline.
As part of the restructuring plan, relatively younger, active and field-oriented leaders are likely to be brought into key decision-making bodies and the central committee, party insiders said.
Senior leaders, however, are unlikely to be sidelined entirely and may instead be moved into advisory roles as part of efforts to balance experience with generational change.
The party also plans to remove inactive leaders from key positions and strengthen communication between the central leadership and grassroots units.
“This time, organisational restructuring will be our priority alongside government responsibilities,” BNP Standing Committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said when asked about the council.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir recently said preparations for the December council were underway.
“While we were in the opposition, leaders and activists remained busy with street movements, so regular councils could not be held over the past decade. Preparations are now in full swing for the council scheduled in December,” he said.
BNP’s last national council was held on March 19, 2016, when Begum Khaleda Zia was elected chairperson unopposed and Tarique Rahman became senior vice chairman. The council also adopted a “one leader, one position” policy aimed at improving organisational discipline.
Mirza Fakhrul was formally appointed secretary general on March 30 that year after serving as acting secretary general since 2011 following the death of Khandaker Delwar Hossain.
After Khaleda Zia’s death on Dec 30 last year following 41 years as party chairperson, Tarique Rahman assumed full leadership of the party after previously serving as acting chairperson. He later led BNP to victory in the February election and became prime minister.
The party’s highest policymaking body, the National Standing Committee, has 19 positions, several of which have remained vacant for years.
Two Standing Committee posts remained vacant after the 2016 council, while the deaths of M Tariqul Islam, ASM Hannan Shah and MK Anwar later increased the number of vacancies to five.
On June 19, 2019, Selima Rahman and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku were appointed to the Standing Committee. Following the mass uprising, Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed and Dr AZM Zahid Hossain were also included.
With Hafiz Uddin Ahmed now serving as Speaker of the 13th parliament, his party position has again become vacant. The committee currently has 15 members, while Barrister Jamir Uddin Sircar and Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia remain inactive due to illness.
Party insiders said major changes are being considered in the Standing Committee, vice-chairperson posts, advisory council and central committee, with active and organisationally capable leaders likely to replace less active members.
The party is also considering strengthening divisional structures by appointing more active leaders in each region.
Several names are being discussed for senior positions, including Abdul Awal Mintoo, Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Shah Moazzem Hossain Kaykobad, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Khondaker Abd Al Muktadir, Ahmed Azam Khan and Zahir Uddin Mahmud Swapan.
Discussions are also ongoing over the future of the secretary general post as Mirza Fakhrul has indicated he may retire from politics due to age and health concerns.
Possible successors being discussed include Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Joint Secretary Generals Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel and Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie.
Ahead of the party’s seventh national council, BNP is also moving to revive long-stagnant affiliated organisations, many of which are operating with expired committees.
Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal formed an interim central committee in July 2024 with Abdul Moin Munna as president and Nurul Islam Nayan as general secretary, but a full committee has yet to be announced. Party sources said a new committee may be formed after Eid-ul-Azha.
The term of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal’s central committee ended in March this year, and discussions over new leadership are ongoing.
Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal is currently being run by a five-member interim committee formed in 2022, while its president and general secretary are now serving as Members of Parliament.
Mohila Dal’s current committee was formed in 2016 and remains in place, while Labour Dal, Tanti Dal and JASAS are also operating with outdated committees.
Leadership changes in those bodies are expected soon.
“We are continuing organisational activities regularly and working to strengthen grassroots structures. If the party directs, a new committee will be formed,” Chhatra Dal General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir said.
