BNP standing committee meets...............

BNP's top policymaking forum convened for an emergency meeting from 7.30pm Tuesday.

Chairperson Khaleda Zia called the meeting of the party's national standing committee, at her Gulshan office to "discuss the overall situation of the country", a party official said.

"The national standing committee will meet to discuss the overall situation of the country with the party chairperson presiding," BNP office secretary Rizvi Ahmed told us.

The 11-strong standing committee has Khaleda, M Saifur Rahman, Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Abdul Matin Chowdhury, Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui, Moudud Ahmed, Khandaker Mahbubuddin Ahmad, Mahbubur Rahman, M Shamsul Islam and R A Gani.

Last week, the policymakers met twice to discuss issues including the proposed Trade and Investment Framework Agreement with the United States, transit facilities to India and formation of a South Asian anti-terror taskforce.

The standing committee decided to form six sub-committees with joint secretaries general to elect local-level committees through election at the grassroots level.

The sub-committees have been asked to submit reports to the standing committee by Feb. 28.