BNP kicks off extended meeting to hear expectations of grassroots leaders

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP, has launched its first extended meeting in seven years with recitations from the Quran and a performance of the national anthem.

The opening ceremony of the day-long meeting began at 10:30am on the open field adjacent to the LD Hall of the parliament complex.

The meeting is being presided over virtually from London by the party's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.

Some 3,500 party leaders from various levels - from grassroots to the party centre - from all over the country are taking part. These include members of the National Standing Committee, the Chairperson's Advisory Council, and the National Executive Committee. Also in attendance are the presidents, general secretaries, conveners and member secretaries of the metropolitan, district, Thana, Upazila, and municipal units. The presidents and general secretaries of the party's 11 organs and associate organisations as well as the party candidates and aspirants for the 2018 parliamentary elections will also take part.

The last extended meeting of the party was held on Feb 4, 2018, at the Le Méridien Dhaka hotel in Niketon. That meeting was presided over by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. The party chief is still receiving medical treatment in London and will not be attending the meeting on Thursday.

An open pavilion was set up on the field for the event. The extended meeting formally began with an address from Tarique, who presided over the event.

After the Quran reading and national anthem, the party anthem “Prothom Bangladesh Amar Shesh Bangladesh” was played. Those attending, including Tarique, applauded after the end of the performance.

The opening session included a minute of silence in memory of those who died in the extended movement against the “fascist” Awami League government and the July-August uprising of the students and the masses. A condolence motion was put forward.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir delivered a welcome speech at the opening session. A video message from party chief Khaleda was also played.

The opening ceremony will end with a speech from Tarique.

After lunch, a closed-door working session will begin. In this session, grassroots leaders will speak on the state of the party and the current situation.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul and Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Zamir Uddin Sarkar, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salah Uddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, and Hafiz Uddin Ahmed were on the main stage for the meeting.

Portraits of party founder Ziaur Rahman, Khaleda and Tarique were set up around the stage.

The event was chaired by the party's Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Rizvi said that the closed-door working session will continue until night. After that, Tarique will deliver a policy-setting speech.

Breakfast, lunch and afternoon snacks have been arranged for the guests.

The BNP's 31-point reform programme was highlighted through large placards outside the walls of the parliament.

Leaders from far and wide began entering the meeting venue at 8:30am with their ID cards around their necks. Members of the reception committee greeted the leaders with bouquets of roses and marigolds.

Since there were restrictions on entry to the extended meeting aside from invited guests, a large number of party activists and supporters took up positions outside the parliament complex.