She issued a tacit threat of disciplinary action against BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan if he does anything against the spirit of the party constitution, and urged party leaders and activists to be unitedly vociferous against 'the conspirators who want to split the party'.

"The country is now under an emergency and political activities are banned, making it impossible for anybody to speak freely in a council right now," she quipped during a tele-conference yesterday with journalist living in New York, moderated by Gias Ahmed, international affairs secretary of the BNP central committee.

Meanwhile, reformist leaders of the party said preparations for a council are underway according to the party constitution and they are also collecting signatures of the councillors in support of the council as part of the preparations.

They said Mannan Bhuiyan will meet the party chairperson to discuss the council and to seek her permission for it after finalising their reform proposal, while they are also preparing themselves to call a requisitioned meeting of the party councillors if Khaleda does not allow the secretary general to hold the council.

Gias Ahmed, the moderator of the tele-conference told The Daily Star last night that the BNP chairperson made the comments during the news conference over telephone arranged by the New York unit of BNP.

Khaleda Zia alleged that the party secretary general did not take her consent for holding a council and she did not even get a copy of their reform proposal.

"He [Bhuiyan] worked with me for a long time, he could have come to me if he had wanted," Khaleda said adding that an atmosphere ensuring the credibility of a council has to be created first.

In reply to a question, she said if any member of the party violates the party constitution then she will talk to party leaders for taking steps against that person.

"I also have some reform proposals which I am preparing to place before the council after discussing them with all, but the situation of the country is not in favour of holding a council right now," she said.

"How a council could take place when indoor politics is banned and the party office is closed....how discussions could be held among party members if the ban is not lifted?" she asked.

"The councillors won't even be able to come to the council under the circumstances," she quipped again.

"We are seeking permission for indoor politics as we all want to bring reforms to the party but under an atmosphere where everyone may speak freely" she said adding that an important event like a reform council might even go on for a week, a one-day council might not be enough for the purpose.

In another tele-conference coordinated by Abul Hashem and Kazi Azam, the BNP chairperson dispelled a rumour that she had talked to or contacted Awami league President Sheikh Hasina recently. She also hoped that the military backed caretaker government will hold a free, fair and neutral election.

Meanwhile, the reformist leaders claimed they are not doing anything in violation of the party constitution.

They are now collecting signatures from grassroots level leaders in favour of the reform proposal announced by the party secretary general on June 25 to ensure intra-party democracy, they claimed.

"The secretary general will go to the chairperson to discuss the council and to seek her permission for it after finalising the reform proposal," ZA Khan, an adviser to the party chairperson told reporters yesterday after meeting Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan in the latter's Gulshan residence.

When asked, what will the reformists do if Khaleda does not allow Bhuiyan to hold a council, he said a proper decision will be taken at the proper time. "But we believe she will agree to hold the council," he added.

According to the party constitution, the secretary general is empowered to call a requisitioned meeting with the support of one-third of the party councillors.

Ashraf Hossain, a joint secretary general of the party, said, "We are doing everything according to the party constitution and we will get the reform proposal approved by the council."

"Preparations to hold the council according to the party constitution are underway and grassroots level leaders are coming to meet the reformist leaders to express their support for the reforms," Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul, a reformist BNP leader and a former lawmaker, told The Daily Star yesterday.