Chaos rules Ctg (north) BNP unit council

Tension ran high on two occasions at the council over the speech of Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury, who was running for the presidency of Chittagong (north) district BNP. Chowdhury lost the October 2001 parliamentary election in Raozan constituency.

Chowdhury, younger brother of the Prime Minister's Parliamentary Affairs adviser Salauddin Quader Chowdhury, in his speech at the council criticised the activities of the Chittagong (north) district BNP, triggering a war of words with Syed Wahidul Alam MP, ruling party whip and lawmaker from Hathazari.

He also took dais while the election was going on in the afternoon and termed the election a "farce". This time, he traded hot exchange of words with Golam Akber Khondoker, outgoing president and also a presidential runner.

Later, GQ Chowdhury withdrew from the election and left the venue immediately.

The council finally re-elected Golam Akber Khondoker and Shahjahan Siraj president and general secretary.

Khondoker bagged 718 votes while his rival Giasuddin Quader Chowdhury got 40. Shahajahan Siraj got 670 votes while his opponent Jasim Sikder bagged 68 votes.

As many as 759 out of 852 voters turned up for voting.

Names of others in the 141-member committee will be announced later.

BNP Senior Joint-Secretary General Tareq Rahman was supposed to attend the council as chief guest, but he did not show up. BNP lawmakers from BNP Chittagong (north) district -- Salauddin Quader Chowdhury (Ctg-7) and LK Siddiqui (Ctg 2) --also skipped the council.

Food Minister Abdullah Al Noman attended the council as chief guest with Golam Akber Khondoker in the chair.

State Minister for Labour and Employment Aman Ullah Aman, the Prime Minister's Commerce Affairs Adviser Barkat Ullah Bulu, Joint-Secretary General Goyeshwar Roy and BNP Youth Affairs Secretary Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal were special guests.