BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman will serve as acting chief of the party in the absence of Khaleda Zia.
BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan made the revelation while speaking to reporters outside the courtroom after Khaleda Zia was sentenced to jail for five years in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.
The party's Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir later at a press conference at BNP's Naya Paltan headquarters also said: "Our party will be run as per its constitution."
According to Section C of Article 5 of BNP charter, the party vice-chairman will perform as its acting chairman in absence of the party chairperson.
Nazrul Islam Khan said Tarique Rahman has automatically become the party's acting chairman as per the constitution after Khaleda was sent to jail.
Nazrul said Tarique will be able to run the party by providing necessary directions to party top leaders from London.
Tarique, also the elder son of Khaleda, was also sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment and fined Tk2.10 crore in the same case Khaleda was sent to jail. He was earlier convicted in a money laundering case.
Tarique who has been living in London since September 11, 2008 after being released from jail on parole was made party's senior vice-chairman in its fifth national council, creating the new post.
BNP vice-chairman Hafizuddin Ahmed said Tarique in coordination with party standing committee members will run the party in absence of Khaleda.
A party standing committee member wishing anonymity said Khaleda has already given her party's top leaders the necessary direction about how the party will be run.
He said they are not worried about party leadership as Khaleda will be get bail very soon.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
