"The expelled leaders are trying to make an impression on the public in vain that the party has suffered a division," he told a press conference at Shahid Tajul auditorium in the city.

WPB General Secretary Bimal Biswas said while reading out a statement that the five leaders were expelled according to WPB constitution, as they resorted to harming the party's image. He described the incident as unfortunate but inevitable.

Of the 40 members of the WPB central committee, claims of the five that 31 district units are with them are baseless, the statement said.

"Just five cannot charge us with moral deterioration, the entire party will determine that," Menon said responding to an accusation the expelled leaders made, "It's them who have deviated from morality by going against the party."

Among the central leaders, Haider Akbar Khan Rono, Fazle Hossain, Abul Basar, Mahmudul Hasan Manik, Abdul Motin, Safiuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Kabir and Anisur Rahman and representatives from the party's 51 organisational districts were present.