Dhaka: A top loyalist of detained BNP chief Khaleda Zia, who is virtually facing a coup in party ranks, has claimed that he was asked to resign from his party post or risk his life by "certain quarters".

"They came into my house on Sunday night and told me that I would have to agree to resign from my post, accept the new chairperson and secretary general of their choice... Or else the lives of my family members and my own would be in danger," BNP leader Khandaker Delwar Hossain told reporters from his hospital bed in the capital yesterday.

At a hurriedly called meeting on Monday night, eight members of Bangladesh Nationalist Party's top policy making body appointed former finance minister Saifur Rahman as the party's acting chairman and dissident leader Hafizuddin Ahmed as the new secretary general but decided that Zia would remain as chairperson.

Delwar and other Zia loyalists have rejected the new leadership saying the BNP Standing Committee meeting which appointed the office bearers was "illegal" as according to the party constitution only the chairperson has the authority to convene such a meeting.

Claiming that he was the "legitimate" secretary general of the party, Delwar said the party is united under the leadership of Zia, and urged party leaders and workers not to be confused by some leaders "anti-party activities".

"I have nothing to lose. BNP is a people's party which nobody will be able to divide through conspiracies," Delwar, who has been unwell for some time, said. Rahman had said Delwar was removed from his post as he was unwell. 

Source : PTI