The BNP has reconstituted its Foreign Affairs Committee, four weeks after dissolving it upon orders from acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman.
Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, a member of the BNP’s policymaking National Standing Committee, will head the new 21-strong new diplomatic wing, people familiar with matter confirmed.
Speaking to Bangla Tribune on Thursday (Feb 14), Chowdhury, however, evaded a direct answer on heading the party’s foreign affairs cell.
“It’s nothing like that. The members of the foreign wing work together. A meeting will be held very soon,” he said.
His colleague at the Standing Committee Jamiruddin Sircar said it was “only natural” for Chowdhury to head the foreign affairs panel.
“He has been working on the committee for quite some time as the most senior leader in the panel,” he told Bangla Tribune on Thursday.
All of the members of the previous term have been kept in the reconstituted panel.
The new members include Assistant Organising Secretary Anindya Islam Amit and Human Rights Affairs Secretary Asaduzzaman Asad.
Apart from Chowdhury, the members of the previous committee who made to the new panel include former foreign secretary Reaz Rahman, Sabih Uddin Chowdhury, Asaduzzaman Ripon, Shama Obayed, Nawshad Jamir, Rumin Farhana, Fahima Nasrin, Mir Helal, Tabith Awal and Zeba Khan. “I have received a letter over inclusion in the panel last week. I do not know who the other members are, but Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowhdhury will head the panel,” he told Bangla Tribune.

In a Jan 17 internal memo issued by Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the BNP officially dissolved its diplomatic wing.

“BNP’s committee on foreign affairs has been dissolved upon the party’s directive. The process of forming a new committee will begin within the next week,” it read.
It had also asked members of the old committee to discuss with Amir Khasru should they have any issues to be raised on the foreign affairs panel.