Party insiders said BNP hardliners, many of who accused the former president of conspiring against the party and were instrumental in his ouster, might not look kindly on the liberals' once cozy relationship with Chowdhury.

The former president, also founding secretary general of the BNP, recently came down hard on the government for its failure to tackle crime and corruption, giving rise to speculations that a new political front under his leadership might be in the offing.

Sources said these hardliners would almost certainly approach BNP Chairperson and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia for doing something about these 'mainstream' and progressive 'pro-Chowdhury' leaders in an effort to prevent them from 'fomenting trouble and creating division' within the party.

Khaleda is currently away in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah and is due home on November 23.

The prime minister reportedly had talks with a number of BNP leaders of ministerial status and also belonging to the so-called liberal group after an intelligence agency included them on a list submitted to her containing names of several BNP leaders purported to have held secret meetings with Chowdhury.

"The report is completely false, baseless and motivated," a senior BNP leader told The Daily Star on condition of anonymity.

The leaders in question, however, managed to convince Khaleda about their allegiance to her leadership, but the hardliners are active to sway her opinion in their favour, he said.

Another important BNP leader said no-one from the 'liberal' group have maintained any contact with B Chowdhury since his resignation. "It will be suicidal for the party if someone got the axe on the basis of an intelligence report or due to influence of the hardliners."