The BNP high command is now actively contemplating to split the city committee into two out of displeasure with the existing committee, insiders said adding the city committee would be divided into city committee (south) and city committee (north), insiders hinted. The purpose behind split of the city committee is aimed at bringing dynamism in the leadership through inclusion of young leaders, party sources said. The party high command is reportedly not happy with the performance of the existing city committee for its poor performance in the recent movement centering the one-sided election. Even member secretary of the city unit Abdus Salam had to face an embarrassing situation at the Mazar of the party founder Shahid president Ziaur Rahman on January 19. Party workers were so angry with him that he had to hurriedly leave the venue to avoid further embarrassment, sources said adding he was asked to avoid the party’s Suhrawardy Udyan rally on January 20 to avoid any unpleasant situation. If the city committee is divided into two it would create opportunity for accommodation of a larger number of young and committed persons in leadership of the city committee, party sources said adding it would also create a sense of competition among the city committee leaders of the two committees. If the idea is implemented, BNP leaders said, it would help consolidate the organization in the city which is important for any big party like the BNP, sources said. Besides, they said, the city corporation has been divided into two.A 21-member convening committee of the city unit was formed headed by former Mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka and Abdus Salam as member secretary of the convening committee on May 14, 2011. The convening committee, the source said, failed to announce any full committee despite the lapse of about three years mainly due to bickering within the party. The convening committee was asked to announce the full committee within five months which it failed mainly due to bickering within the party. The formation of the convening also took lot of time as there were influential aspirants to head the coveted city committee. BNP organising secretary Mashiur Rahman told the media that only split in the existing committee would not deliver the goods rather these should be formed through democratic process. If proper democratic process is followed and leaders are chosen from among the grass roots level activists, the party would benefit, he said. The opinion of the grass roots level leaders should get due importance in selecting president or secretary of the proposed committees, he said. Otherwise, if leadership is imposed from the top, that would not benefit the party, he said.The names of former commissioner SM Qayum, Shahabuddin Ahmed and Asgar ali Matbar are being discussed as probable choice to head city’s north committee while names of Anwaruzzaman Anwar, Anwar Hossain, Bir pratik and Hajrat Ali are in the air as general secretary, party sources said. The names of Abdus Salam, former MP Salauddin Ahmed, former commissioner Abul Bashar are being discussed as probable choice as president of city committee (south). The names of Abu Sayed Khokan of Jubo dal, president of Shahbagh thana unit Nani Talukder and former councilor Al-Haj Mokbul are being discussed as probable choice as general secretary of the Dhaka city ( south) committee.
