Zia’s son may return to party fold
By IANSTuesday, December 8, 2009
DHAKA - If all goes well, Tarique Rahman, son of opposition leader Khaleda Zia, may return in a key position in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
Media reports said the party’s National Council may deliberate on a position for Tarique, who may speak to the delegates through a video-conference from London.
Tarique, who left Dhaka last year to recover from illness after months of detention on corruption charges, could be made a senior vice president, The Daily Star said Tuesday.
His mother has been elected unopposed as the party’s chief, a position she has held since 1981.
Zia, 63, who was prime minister for two terms (1991-96 and 2001-06) and is now the opposition leader in parliament, opened the party meeting at a luxury hotel here, Star Online website of The Daily Star reported.
She “is now faced with the challenge of finding a right person for the secretary general’s post. A number of top leaders are vying for the vital position”, the newspaper said.
“Some BNP leaders said she is looking for a leader with clean image and may come up with a surprise choice for the post,” it said.
As per Bangladesh’s political tradition, the BNP invited arch rival and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the convention. A four-member ruling Awami League delegation led by Ashim Kumar Ukil joined the programme.
Zia and Hasina represent two opposing political legacies in Bangladesh. Hasina, who took power this January, is the daughter of the country’s slain founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Zia is the widow of slain president Ziaur Rahman. He had founded the BNP Sep 1, 1978.
