The Bangladesh Journal - BNP leaders continues to show mixed reaction to Sayeed Eskandar promotion

The appointment of Major (retd) Sayeed Eskandor as Vice-Chairman of the BNP by his sister and party Chief Begum Khaleda Zia is continuing to cause controversy with in the party.

"Many leaders and activists of the party do not support Begum Khaleda Zia's decision to appoint her younger brother as Vice-Chairman of the party without consulting with senior leaders," former Minister and BNP Advisory Council member Dr Osman Farruk told journalists yesterday.

"Begum Zia has done this at a time when people are voicing resentment against the appointment of incompetent persons in the government and political parties simply on the basis of family ties," he said, adding, "This process ultimately establishes family control on the affairs of the state and encourages corruption."

A former BNP MP, Major (retd) Sayeed Eskandor on Monday disclosed that Begum Khaleda Zia appointed him a Vice-Chairman and party Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan did not know about the appointment.

This was the first such disclosure of any appointment of a leader of the BNP in many years. Constitutionally party Secretary General makes such appointments public through any of the Office Secretaries of the BNP. Only the announcement of appointment of the Secretary General is made by the BNP Chairperson's office directly.

However, there had been no precedence in the BNP of making announcement regarding appointment or promotion in the party by a relative of the party Chief or any other leader.

Begum Zia, who was reportedly under pressure to go abroad for the time being to help clean politics of corrupt elements, made the latest (Eskandor) appointment apparently to consolidate her family control in the party.

Opposing the move, Dr Osman Farruk said, "Although the party Chairperson can appoint anybody as per its constitution, Begum Zia was not transparent about the appointment."

"Why she needs to select in the party leadership more people from among her family members, who have been proven as corrupts in the public eye?" he posed the question.

"Begum Zia should not have appoint Sayeed Eskandor as a Vice-Chairman, as the people want to get ride of corruption and family rule," he observed.

Terming the incident as repetition of an old-fashioned and archaic practice, Dr Osman Farruk said, "The people wants reforms and they will not support this old-fashioned practice in politics."