Exhibit 99.2



CONTACT:  Jason Lynch
          Fredric J. Spar
          Kekst and Company
          212-521-4800


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


           BT OFFICE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL'S INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE OF
                 DIRECTORS RETAINS FINANCIAL AND LEGAL ADVISORS


BUFFALO GROVE,  IL, FEBRUARY 18, 1998 - BT Office Products  International,  Inc.
(NYSE:  BTF) announced that the independent  committee of its board of directors
has retained independent financial and legal advisors to assist the committee in
its consideration of the previously disclosed proposal by NV Koninklijke KNP BT,
the  company's  70%  stockholder,  to acquire the 30% equity  interest  owned by
public  stockholders.  The  committee,  which  consists  of the two  independent
members of the board,  has retained BT Wolfensohn  as its financial  advisor and
Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Young, Conway, Stargatt & Taylor as its legal
advisors.  BT Wolfensohn is a division of BT Alex Brown  Incorporated and is not
related to BT Office Products.


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