BNP will not stand by its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami over several issues as the main opposition party does not want to take the liabilities of Jamaat's activities which they committed before the formation of BNP.
Party insiders said Chairperson Khaleda Zia wants to maintain a visible distance with Jamaat over some specific issues, such as the trial of war criminals, although she is adamant to gradually wage a greater movement keeping all with her.
Party leaders, however, said they would protest all sorts of political "repression" by the ruling Awami League led grand alliance government.
According to the party standing committee decision, BNP would announce fresh anti-government programmes, like mass sit-in and hunger strike, Sunday. The fresh programme is likely to be observed in the capital and other cities of the country on July 19.
"We will observe protest programme on our own. We will not involve with all the Jamaat's issues," Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, member of the standing committee, yesterday told The Daily Star.
He said BNP would jointly observe only the programmes announced by the four-party alliance and Khaleda Zia would decide when the alliance should be reactive.
Party insiders said the leaders known as "hardliners" persuaded the top leadership to stand beside Jamaat after the arrests of Nizami, Mojahid and Sayedee. However, they did not get any response from the chairperson.
Some leaders said Khaleda Zia did not forget that Jamaat did not agree to issue a statement after her arrest in September 2007, during the military-backed caretaker government.
"Madam raised this point several times in party meetings and I think Jamaat's stance during that time hurt her very much," said a member of the BNP standing committee seeking anonymity.
Earlier, BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain said Jamaat would get their support but his party would not participate in Jamaat programmes.
Jamaat, however, participated in BNP's hartal and human chain programmes, although according to BNP leaders, presence of Jamaat leaders and workers in the programmes was very small.
Party insiders said a group of BNP leaders is trying to convince the party high command to consider the government's initiative to try the war criminals as a political issue but the chairperson wants to observe the situation before finalising the party's stance.
"It is a sensitive issue and I think the chairperson's stance is correct. Why would BNP take other's responsibilities on its shoulder?" said a vice chairperson of the party while talking to The Daily Star.
Meanwhile, the party will stage a demonstration today urging the government to produce ward councillor Chowdhury Alam before the court or the people. Alam is missing since June 25, two days before BNP's countrywide hartal.
Khandaker Delwar Hossain may announce fresh agitation programme from the protest rally.
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=146137 
