Dhaka - Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was appointed chairwoman for life of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in a bid to protect her against moves by reformists to elect a new party leadership, officials said Sunday.

Tanvir Rahman Siddiqui, a member of BNP's policy-making standing committee, told a news briefing that Zia would remain party chief as long as she wished or her health permitted.

The move to make her supreme leader came in the wake of reports that the 63-year-old former premier would be purged on allegations of corruption by her and her relatives.

Siddiqui claimed that the decision to anoint Zia was taken in an overnight closed-door meeting of the standing committee attended by eight out of fifteen members.

Zia was released from custody Thursday after a High Court order granted bail in four pending cases of graft against her filed by the military-backed interim government.

Party reform leader Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and six other committee members were absent at the meeting.

Political sources said Bhuiyan was leading a rebel group in the BNP which wants Zia to step down after calling a council meeting of the party.

Zia, widow of former military ruler Zia-ur Rahman, steered the BNP to power in general elections in 1991 and 1996.

Both elections were tainted by allegations of fraud and intimidation brought by Zia's main political rival, Shiekh Hasina, another former premier.

The standoff between the two leaders triggered political turmoil pushing the Muslim-majority South Asian country to the brink of chaos.

In the face of escalating political violence, President Iajuddin Ahmad declared a state of emergency after appointing an interim administration to lead the country to credible polls for the transition to democracy. (dpa)