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Khaleda gives green signal for contesting election

Rakib Hasnet Suman
Currently detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia advised her party leaders to start the groundwork for contesting in the upcoming 9th parliamentary election scheduled for the end of - the year, party sources said.
Khandaker Delwar Hossain, secretary general of Khaleda backed faction of the party, will start having views exchange meetings with district level leaders soon to discuss what should be the party's position vis-^-vis the proposed political dialogues between the government and political parties, as well as its preparation for the upcoming election, parry leaders said.
The party leaders, however, could not definitely say what posi-* tion Khaleda Zia has regarding whether the party should participate in the election with herself in a special jail
Delwar at a discussion meeting on Wednesday said a neutral and credible election is 'impossible under the present Election Commission (EC)', as it has lost neutrality by inviting 'so-called reformists' of the rival faction to electoral dialogues as representatives of BNP
But leaders of Khaleda backed faction think they might end up contesting in the election under the present EC after all, if their faction is invited to the electoral dialogues and if they are allowed to have the sheaf of paddy as their electoral symbol, as the chairperson seems interested in her party's participation in the electoral process to restore democracy in the country.
"Wc will participate in the election with party's electoral symbol the sheaf of paddy," said a former lawmaker of the party, who had been present at Khaleda's cantonment residence when the former premier had gone there on a short parole on January 19 to pay her last respect to her late mother.
Party leaders claimed Khaleda Zia talked to her lawyers about the cases filed against her, as well as party affairs. Later the lawyers conveyed her messages to the pro-Khaleda leaders.
But when asked, Rizvi Ahmed, acting office secretary of the faction, told The Daily Star yesterday, "The secretary general did not discuss the matter with us, so I am not clear on whether the chairperson gave any suggestion or not," although other party leaders said the chairperson suggested her senior leaders to work together asking them to take preparations to contest in the upcoming election.
She, however, expressed her
reservations about bringing back a few party leaders who had announced reform proposals for bringing changes to the party constitution in her absence, a former BNP lawmaker close to Delwar said.
Meanwhile, Delwar has been trying to communicate with leaders of different political parties to discuss ways for restoring democracy, proKhaleda leaders said.
OnThursday night, he had informal talks with Awami League (AL) leaders Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Col (retd) Farukh Khan at an event hosted by Australian High Commission in Dhaka marking the national dayofthat country.
During his conversation with the AL leaders Delwar told them that his organisation is working to restore democracy in the country. In reply to which the AL leaders said they had 'started the struggle for democracy during BNP-Jamaat alliance government's regime, when there had been no democracy in the co ontry'.