Some senior BNP leaders have expressed disappointment with the way the repeal of several key ordinances, issued during the interim government, was handled.

They said the issue was poorly managed despite there being valid grounds for the move. As a result, the opposition is now using it to mobilise protests and question the ruling party’s stance on the July charter, which could have been avoided with clearer and more timely public communication.

At a meeting of the Standing Committee, the highest policymaking body of the BNP, at its chairman’s Gulshan office on Saturday night, they said that as an all-party parliamentary special committee was not formed before repealing the ordinances, questions have been raised over whether the BNP has moved away from its position on the July charter.

The Daily Star spoke to at least four meeting attendees, all of whom requested anonymity.

“Out of the 133 ordinances, around 97 or 98 may be taken up, while the rest may need more time for review. Before the election, we made it clear that the BNP would not implement anything it did not agree with,” said a Standing Committee member who was at the meeting.

“People voted for us on the basis of our own commitments, not to carry out the agenda of others. We will implement what we promised, but we will not do anything we did not commit to.”

This was the first meeting of the Standing Committee, presided over by party Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, since the party returned to power following the February 12 national election.

The last meeting before this was held on January 9.

The two-hour meeting on Saturday began with a review of the government’s performance in its first 47 days, during which Standing Committee members congratulated the government and expressed satisfaction with the gradual implementation of the BNP’s electoral pledges, as well as the positive public response.

Leaders noted that the launch of canal excavation, distribution of Family Cards, and the tree plantation programme were significant moves in line with the pledges.

They said people living along the canals must be involved in the excavation programme, and that people at the union and ward levels should be engaged.

They also said the Farmer Card distribution programme beginning on Pahela Baishakh was in keeping with the election manifesto.

The leaders stressed that corruption must be stopped in the country at any cost, and that the prices of essentials must be kept low, because people will not accept hardship caused by war and will expect relief in their daily lives.

Meanwhile, they expressed dissatisfaction over the large number of cases filed against BNP grassroots leaders and activists across the country that remain pending, leaving many party members grappling with legal hassles.

One of the leaders said, “In my district, cases against top leaders have been withdrawn, but those against grassroots leaders are still pending.”

Some senior leaders also said they were unhappy with how the transport and power ministries are handling the ongoing fuel crisis and road deaths, saying it has fuelled public resentment.

“During Eid, people died in road accidents, yet the minister said travel had been ‘smooth’, which was not appropriate. There were also long queues at filling stations, but it was still said that there was no crisis,” a Standing Committee member told this correspondent.

At the meeting, leaders discussed the tension that has spread across the country over fuel oil, with BNP leaders saying the panic among the public appeared to be greater than the actual scale of the crisis.

They said this had led some people to stock up on fuel unnecessarily, while others were taking advantage of the situation through smuggling, and stressed the need for strict monitoring and legal action against those involved.

The BNP said it welcomed criticism from the opposition if it was genuine, but accused its rivals of trying to spread propaganda and create confusion over the July charter issue.

Party leaders said the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance’s threat of street protests was part of an unsuccessful campaign against the BNP, adding that the party had decided to closely watch the opposition’s moves rather than respond directly.

Meanwhile, discussions also focused on strengthening and expanding the party’s organisational and political activities, as grassroots activities have slowed in many areas since the elections and require urgent reorganisation.

After the meeting, BNP Secretary General and LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “We will try to move towards the council as quickly as possible.”

The party last held its sixth national council on March 19, 2016.

He added that Tarique convened the meeting of the Standing Committee to discuss how to keep the party active and sustain its regular operations.