The BNP is looking to step up its organisational activities as part of preparations for its national council, party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said after a meeting of the standing committee at the chairman’s office in Gulshan last night.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Fakhrul said the discussion focussed on ways to expand both the party’s political and organisational activities and to move towards holding the long-awaited council.

“Today’s meeting discussed how we can further expand our political and organisational activities and how we can take the party quickly towards the council in the coming days,” he said.

Asked about the possible timing of the council, the BNP secretary general said the party would need at least a few months before fixing a date.

The BNP last held its sixth national council on March 19, 2016, nearly a decade has passed since the party’s last full council session.

The standing committee meeting began at 8:40pm at the chairman’s office in Gulshan, presided by party chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

The meeting continued for around two and a half hours.

Fakhrul said that the meeting held detailed discussions on the party’s organisational matters.

He also said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman sought the views of standing committee members on the government’s activities over the past 47 days.

Those present at the meeting included Mirza Fakhrul and standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku and Prof AZM Zahid Hossain. Nazrul Islam Khan and Selima Rahman joined the meeting virtually.