Minu, who is also a BNP lawmaker, was elected president of the committee on Tuesday night. But he was apparently forced to leave the post under pressure from the party's youngsters.

Sources said Minu was elected president in a brief council session held after 10 years amid boycott by three influential party legislators and a large number of leaders and activists.

Health Minister Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, who attended the council as chief guest, declared Minu president of the new committee and asked him to form a full-fledged committee within a week.

After the announcement, Minu along with Post and Telecommunications Minister Aminul Haq, also a lawmaker for Rajshahi, rushed to Rajshahi Circuit House and made a fresh announcement.

Minu then announced local youngsters Salahuddin Baby and Shafiqul Haq Milon president and general secretary of the city committee.

Sources said Minu quit from the post as local youngsters were sharply divided into two camps and demanded both Baby and Milon the general secretary of the city committee. However, they did not demand the president's post.

Apprehending trouble, Minu withdrew himself from the president's post and made the fresh announcements apparently to halt infighting in the party.

But the putting of the two youngsters to the top posts created widespread resentment in the rank and file and most of the senior leaders left the circuit house immediately, protesting the move.

Three local lawmakers -- Kabir Hossain, Abu Hena and Nadim Mustafa -- who refrained from joining the council, instantly protested the city committee and lodged verbal complaints with the party high command, sources said.

Kabir said senior and dedicated leaders were not evaluated in the new city committee, forcing them to lose interest in party politics.