Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Tuesday expelled its Assistant International Affairs Secretary Barrister Rumeen Farhana along with eight other leaders for breaching party discipline by defying organisational decisions.

The decision was announced in a press release sent to the media by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

According to the release, the leaders were expelled for engaging in organisational activities in violation of party directives, prompting the party to take strict disciplinary action against them.

The expelled leaders are: BNP Assistant International Affairs Secretary Barrister Rumeen Farhana; National Executive Committee members Muhammad Gias Uddin, Mohammad Shah Alam, Hasan Mamun and Abdul Khalek; former JASAS Vice-President and Secretary General of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Welfare Front Tarun Dey; former convener of Dhaka North City BNP Saiful Alam Nirob; Sylhet district BNP Vice-President Mamunur Rashid; and President of Banchharampur upazila BNP in Brahmanbaria, Agriculturist Mehdi Hasan Palash.

The release said all nine leaders have been expelled from the party, including cancellation of their primary membership and removal from all posts at every level.

Party sources said disciplinary action was taken as the leaders submitted nomination papers to contest the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election, going against the party’s decision.

BNP leaders said the move was aimed at maintaining party discipline and ensuring strict adherence to organisational decisions.