BNP rivals clash in Barisal over convening body

5 July 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Party rivals yesterday ransacked a press conference venue in the city following dispute over formation of Barisal city BNP convening committee. Advocate Mohsin Montu, former city BNP organising secretary, called a press conference at Rose Garden restaurant in the city opposing announcement of Mahmud Golam Salek, a former city BNP president, as city BNP convener. The organisers demanded making former city BNP president and former BCC mayor Ahsan Habib Kamal as city BNP convener. The press conference was scheduled to start at 4:30pm. At about 4:15pm, a group of BNP men led by Ward-20 JCD unit President Firoz Khan Kalu, claiming themselves as supporters of Golam Salek, entered the venue and started ransacking the restaurant to foil the press conference. The organisers of the press conference with the help of the restaurant workers drove the attackers out. Salek denied any involvement with the incident and said, “Kamal was expelled from the party for his anti-disciplinary activities during the last mayoral election.” After reviewing the qualities and roles of the leaders, the party chairperson announced the new convening committee as per party constitution and opposing it would be considered as breach of discipline, he added. As the press conference was held at the same venue after a delay of about half an hour, Mohsin Montu read out a written statement, demanding expulsion of Mahmud Golam Salek, the announced city BNP convener, for his 'anti-party activities' during the period of caretaker government.