Rejecting BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain's remarks on his expelled predecessor's call for unity in the party, BNP chairperson's adviser ZA Khan yesterday said anyone in the party can call for unity and everyone should welcome it in the interest of the party.
"We called for unity in the party since it is badly needed to win the next election but intra-party reform is a pre-condition for its unity," Khan said.
Delwar said on Friday expelled party secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan has no right to call for party unity since he is no more with it.
Most of the senior leaders and former lawmakers from the BNP as well as executive committee members of the party are with them and they can call a requisition meeting for holding party council, claimed Khan, a close aide to Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, while talking to reporters after meeting Bhuiyan at his Gulshan residence.
Executive committee members of the BNP have the right to convene party council and it will be done on resumption of political activities, Khan said. They don't want reforms in the party without Khaleda Zia or Mannan Bhuiyan but if the party council wants to abandon anyone, it is a different issue, he added.
He mentioned that Bhuiyan called for party unity but stressed reforms in it. And everyone should welcome that he is trying to protect the party from a break-up.
"Those who believe in democracy will support the reform proposal to make the party democratic and acceptable to the people," the party chief's adviser said.
He also said expulsion of Bhuiyan is not acceptable to them." We believe that Mannan Bhuiyan is still general secretary of the party, and only he can keep it united. So, everyone should welcome his call."