As part of the move, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir held a meeting with 12 ‘reformist ex-MPs at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office on Thursday afternoon.
Former BNP state minister Alamgir Kabir, ex-whip Abu Yusuf Khalilur Rahman, ex-MPs Abu Heana, GM Siraj, Sarder Sakhawat Hossain Bakul, Najir Hossain, Dr Ziaul Haque, Ataur Rahman Angur, Elen Bhuttu, Shafiqul Islam Talukder, Shahidul Alam Talukder and Jahiruddin Swapan attended the meeting.
Of them, Alamgir Kabir and Abu Yusuf Khalilur Rahman left BNP in 2007 and joined Oli Ahmed-led LDP while the others became inactive in politics after 1/11 political changeover as they together with party’s then secretary general Abdul Manna Bhuiyan took position against the party seeking its vigorous reforms.
Party insiders said BNP has decided to withdraw the expulsion orders against the ‘reformist’ MPs and bring back those who quit the party at different times to make the party stronger ahead of the election.
On February 23, 2017, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia had a meeting with Sakhawat Hossain Bakul and Jahiruddin Swapn, and asked them to actively work in their respective areas.
A BNP standing committee member, wishing anonymity, said the party has already withdrawn expulsion order against some ‘reformist’ leaders, including its former office secretary Mofiqul Hasan Tripti.
He said Fakhrul will also hold meetings with other leaders who are now inactive in politics for various reasons.
Meanwhile, BNP at a press release said the party has taken a step for having its leaders and activists at all levels united and active following the formation of Jatiya Oikyafront.
It said Fakhrul held the meeting with the 12 ex-BNP MPs as part of the party standing committee’s decision.
At the meeting, the press release said, the BNP secretary general urged the ex-MPs to become fully active in the party and implement its all programmes and thus strengthen the party.
Besides, it said, the meeting discussed various issues, including ongoing national crisis, Khaleda Zia’s release, withdrawal of false cases against Tarique Rahman, and the release of all party arrested leaders and activists in false cases.