The four newly appointed members of the BNP Standing Committee paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Tuesday evening. The meeting took place at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Secretariat.
The four leaders are Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, Aman Ullah Aman, Farhad Halim Donor, and Md Ismail Zabiullah. Salahuddin Ahmed, a member of the BNP National Standing Committee and the Home Minister, was also present during the meeting.
Earlier on Tuesday morning, the four new members visited the graves of former president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital. They laid floral wreaths and offered their respects to the memory of the deceased leaders.
Tarique nominated the four leaders to the party’s highest policy-making body on 15 August, in accordance with party decisions.
According to a party press release, the appointments were made to enhance organisational dynamism and to make the National Standing Committee more effective.
The party expressed hope that the new members would use their experience, merit, and wisdom to play a significant role in making crucial decisions for the benefit of the party and the public.
The BNP’s last National Council was held on 19 March 2016, after which the National Standing Committee was reconstituted.
Since then, several posts had fallen vacant due to deaths and resignations. While some vacancies were filled at various times, this marks the first instance where four members have been inducted simultaneously.
Prior to these appointments, the 19-member committee had 13 active members. They included Tarique Rahman, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Rafiqul Islam Mia, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, and AZM Zahid Hossain.
With the inclusion of the four new members, the total number of members in the BNP National Standing Committee now stands at 16.
Meanwhile, party sources have confirmed that Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has been nominated as the BNP’s presidential candidate. He is expected to resign from his party position following the presidential election scheduled for 20 August.
