They plan to call a requisition meeting of the councillors to decide on party council if the party chairperson does not consent to holding it to implement the reform proposals.

One of the proposals says no one would be eligible for the post of party chairperson or secretary general for more than two terms.

"Requisition meeting will be held as an alternative step if the chairperson doesn't agree with us to hold the party council," Mannan Bhuiyan told a press briefing at his Gulshan residence in the capital yesterday.

He however said on completion of preparations, he will seek permission from the party chairperson to hold the council.

"She [Khaleda] has already opposed some of our proposals openly. So, we will take an alternative step for holding party council if she does not consent to it, " Bhuiyan said when asked why he feels the necessity of a requisition meeting.

"A preparatory committee will be formed to organise the council. And as per party constitution, this committee will decide who will chair the council," the BNP secretary general said.

Sources mentioned that pro-reforms leaders have already started collecting signatures of party councillors as part of preparations for a requisition meeting to take decision on holding party council without the participation of Khaleda.

Meanwhile, Mannan Bhuiyan firmly rejected party Joint Secretary General Gayeshwar Chandra Roy's reported remark that he (Bhuiyan) had assured him the party council would be held under the leadership of Khaleda.

Gayeshwar reportedly made the remark after meeting Bhuiyan at his Gulshan residence on Friday.

"I have no links with his [Gayeshwar] comment. We did not even discuss the council though he supported our reform proposals," Bhuiyan said. He just told him that council would be held according to the party constitution, and there was no discussion on under whose leadership it would be held, he added.

"Preparations are going on for holding the party council. We are now examining party committees (across the country) and after completing all preparations, we will seek the date for council from the chairperson," the BNP secretary general said.

In reply to a question, he said, " If the state of emergency continues for an indefinite period, we might seek permission from the authorities to hold the council."

He replied in the negative when asked if there is any bar to communicating with Khaleda Zia. "Why should there be any ... We will communicate with her at the proper time when we think that preparations (for council) are almost complete," he said.

A group of BNP leaders including Joint Secretary General Ashraf Hossain and chairperson's adviser ZA Khan were also present at the briefing.

After Friday's meeting with Bhuiyan, Gayeshwar, all along known as close to the party chairperson, claimed the party secretary general reiterated that the council would be held with Khaleda Zia at the helm.