BNP Chittagong south factions hold councils separately

22 November 2009, 17:00 PM

Staff Correspondent, Ctg

Two factions of BNP Chittagong south district unit yesterday held their councils at separate venues. No untoward incident occurred during inaugural session of the councils of both factions. Former state minister Jafrul Islam Chowdhury-led faction arranged its council at Banshkhaki Degree College while another group backed by former lawmakers Sarwar Jamal Nizam and Gazi Mohammad Shahjahan Jewel organised their council at Silver Palace Community Centre near the Third Karnaphuli Bridge in the city. BNP central committee Joint Secretary General Goyeshwar Chandra Roy attended the council of Jafrul-led group as chief guest. He inaugurated the council by hoisting national and party flags at around 2:30pm. Central leaders Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, M Morshed Khan and Mohammad Shahjahan, who were to address the council, did not turn up. Despite opposition from a faction, the council was held amid enthusiasm with spontaneous participation of 90 percent of the convening committee members. In the first session, Jafrul Islam Chowdhury has been made president of BNP Chittagong south district unit through voice vote. Other leaders were being elected in the second session of the council in the late afternoon while arrangements were there to elect the leaders through secret votes to some vital posts having more than one candidate. Some of the 15 joint conveners of Chittagong south district unit BNP convening committee were opposing the council meeting as the venue was shifted to remote Banshkhali upazila from the scheduled venue in the city. Chittagong south district BNP former president Ahmed Khalil Khan is leading the other faction backed by former BNP lawmakers Sarwar Jamal Nizam and Gazi Mohammad Shahjahan Jewel. Opposing the council meeting at Banshkhali, the group organised a separate council at Silver Palace Community Centre. The second session of the council was going on as of filing of this report at 7:00pm.