Earlier the same group had decided to hand over their reform proposals to Hasina.

"She [Sheikh Hasina] as an individual has come up with her reform proposals. We have also simultaneously come up with our reform proposals. So we will not hand over our proposals to her, as she has become a party. Our proposals will be placed directly at the party's central working committee," said a leader who attended the meeting.

Yesterday's meeting nominated Abdur Razzak to look after the party's activities across the country. "In absence of Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak will coordinate leaders and workers of different units across the country," said another leader attending the meeting.

The reformist leaders led by AL Presidium Member Amir Hossain Amu will also ask Hasina to place her proposals at the Central Working Committee after the lifting of ban on indoor politics, sources in the AL said.

"Then the Central Working Committee will decide whose proposals are acceptable. The party will be run in the democratic process, not by anyone's diktat," said the leader, who is known to be a close aide to Amu.

The meeting was held at Amu's Eskaton residence in the capital where over a dozen reformist leaders were present. Besides, some 30 to 35 leaders 'loyal' to Amu visited his residence and held informal talks yesterday.

"We have discussed reform proposals and other political issues in the informal meeting and the reform proposals were almost finalised," Amu told reporters after the meeting.

"Finally the issues would be placed and discussed in the Central Working Committee of the party after lifting of ban on indoor politics," he added.

Most of the leaders at the meeting severely criticised party Presidium Member Motia Chowdhury as she supported Hasina's contention that no one above 60 years of age will be allowed to remain in the party's central committee.

AL insiders said Amu returned home on Tuesday night after two months from Singapore only to have a meeting with leaders loyal to him.

AL presidium members Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, acting general secretary Mukul Bose, Sultan Mohammad Mansur Ahmed, central leaders Prof Abu Syeed, Prof Ali Ashraf, Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Nazma Rahman, Habibur Rahman Khan, Prof Abdul Mannan, AKM Jahangir Hossain, Abdus Salam Khan and Panchanon Biswas were present at the meeting.

In Amu's absence, the same group earlier held similar meetings secretly during the last several weeks to prepare their draft proposals.

"We want to establish democratic practice and only the politicians, not the black money holders, will control politics," Amu said, adding, "We don't want to exclude anybody from the party post through the reform proposals and we did not discuss removing the AL chief from her post."

Presidium members Abdur Razzak and Suranjit Sengupta, however, declined to make any comment regarding the meeting and said they had gone to see Amu's wife, who has been sick.