Nazrul Islam Khan, joint secretary general of BNP, told The Daily Star yesterday, "Iskandar was made a vice-president on January 10 but we could not disclose the matter formally as the government has a ban imposed on politics."

With Saeed Iskandar's induction, the number of vice-presidents in BNP now stands at 15, although the party constitution limits the number within 12.

Other vice-presidents are -- Emran Ali Sarkar, Tariqul Islam, Justice TH Khan, LK Siddique, Nazmul Huda, Begum Sarwari Rahman, Rabeya Chowdhury, Chowhdury Kamal Ibne Yusuf, Shawkat Ali, MK Anwar, Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Shahjahan Siraj, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, and Mohammad Nurul Huda.

A party source said Khaleda Zia decided to appoint her brother as a vice-president within the last few days during her meetings with party leaders at her cantonment residence as she is 'facing tremendous pressure' for leaving the country.

The schedule for her departure however has not been finalised yet as she has not gotten a visa for entering the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

According to the source, Saeed Iskandar will take up the charge of acting chairperson of the party if Khaleda is to leave for Saudi Arabia and if she is to stay there for a prolonged period.

Iskandar however told reporters that he is not ready to take up the responsibility during the party chairperson's visit to Saudi Arabia.

BNP leaders said Khaleda will leave for Saudi Arabia after the ban on indoor politics is lifted, in spite of the 'tremendous pressure' on her for going abroad.

Meanwhile, the BNP chairperson's movement seems to be restricted still as the party leaders alleged that security personnel are not allowing them to meet her frequently.

A home ministry press note however said earlier that the government never pressured and is not pressuring Khaleda Zia to take a trip overseas.

"The government also did not impose any restriction on her movement," read the press note.

But according to the source Khaleda Zia could not attend the chehlam of KM Obaidur Rahman on Sunday, as law enforcers did not allow her to join the scheduled programme.

"Khaleda Zia wanted to attend the chehlam but she couldn't leave her residence without getting permission from the government," Brig (retd) Hannan Shah told the reporters yesterday.

BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Maj Gen (retd) ZA Khan, former minister Dr Osman Farruk, former state minister Selima Rahman, and Emran Saleh Prince met Khaleda Zia at her cantonment residence in the capital in the last two days. However, security personnel did not allow the party's Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan and a group of former lawmakers to visit their chief. Saeed Iskandar alleged that law enforcers allowed him to enter his sister's house only after he had obtained permission from the 'authorities concerned'.

Maj Gen (retd) ZA Khan, an adviser to the BNP chairperson, told The Daily Star last night, "We already met our chairperson and I hope all of our party leaders will be allowed to meet her as the government said it had not imposed any restriction on her movement."

He also said Khaleda Zia will go to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah after the ban on indoor politics is lifted.