LONDON: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia asked her son, also the party’s senior vice-chairman, Tarique Rahman not to speak against the religious politics ‘for now’.

The sources confirmed that BNP joint-secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed has already delivered Khaleda’s ‘special massage’ to Tarique at his London residence.

Meanwhile, Rizvi arrived in London on Saturday and now staying in Ilford area in northeast of London. Local BNP has been maintaining strict secrecy on Rizvi’s visit to London.
  
On last Sunday, BNP’s UK unit general secretary Kaisar M Ahmed gave Rizvi a lift from Ilford to Tarique’s residence in London.

The sources said, Rizvi had a long conversation with Tarique. He also delivered the party chair’s ‘important massage’ to him.

The massage contains that Khaleda asked Tarique not to say anything about the religious politics ‘for now’, confirmed the sources.

Tarique, who is staying in a ‘self-exile’ in London for several years, has recently spoken out on the religious politics at a program of the party.

The speech sparked mixed reactions among the BNP allies who are doing religious politics.

To subdue the allies’ reaction, the party chief asked her elder son Tarique to follow the instruction, said the sources.

On the use of the word ‘for now’ in Kaleda’s massage, the sources said, Tarique’s speech on the religious politics is part of the party’s plan.

The western countries are upset for the recent rise of ISIS in Middle East. To gain their confidence, speeches against religious politics are being delivered by Tarique in a planned way.

But, it is not a part of the ‘party’s main policy’.

BNP has taken this ‘short-term’ strategy to gain the western countries’ trust in a bid to oust the incumbent government.

According to the strategy, Tarique was speaking to make the western nations understand that BNP has been becoming out of the grasps of the religious political parties.

Though Tarique’s consultants in London have taken the strategy, but it got approval from Khaleda.

In the ‘important massage’, Tarique was informed that BNP’s top leaders have talked to the religious political allies’ leaders following his speeches.

The allies’ leaders were told that ousting of Awami League government would not be possible without the support of the western countries.

Moreover, the religious parties will suffer more if the AL government lasts long.

So, sometimes some strategies will be taken to achieve the trust of western countries. BNP asked its allies to consider the matter and to keep trust on it.

BNP’s UK unit general secretary Kaisar, however, denied giving any lift to Rizvi to reach him at Tarique’s residence.

“At different times, many rumors are heard but that should not be believed” he said.

On Rizvi’s whereabouts, Kaisar said he is staying outside of London but did not disclose the location.

The decision has yet to be taken whether BNP UK unit will hold any program with Rizvi or not, the leader told banglanews.

BDST: 1318 HRS, SEP 11, 2014