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EC Invitation to Dialogue

Khaleda counsel talks of plot to 'split, destroy BNP'

Staff Correspondent
Former prime minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's counsel TH Khan yesterday told the High Court (HC) that the Election Commission (EC) wants to destroy BNP.
He also said a conspiracy is on to split and destroy the organisation.
He made the observations during hearing on an HC rule regarding EC's letter inviting Major(retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, the acting secretary general appointed by the standing committee, to represent BNP in the dialogue on electoral reforms.
Before hearing on the rule began. Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, expelled secretary general of BNR
became party to the ongoing proceedings with the HC bench granting his petition to that end.
Barrister Masood R Sobhan, who moved Bhuiyan's petition, told journalists that his client felt aggrieved the way his name came many a rime in this case and that is why hedecided to be involved in it.
He said the chairperson's decision ousting Bhuiyan from the post of secretary general was not approved by the standing committee.
He claimed Bhuiyan, also former LGRD and cooperatives minister, is still a member of the standing committee, and he was present in Its meeting on October 29 last year.
Opposing the prayer, TH Khan
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questioned Bhuiyan's legal capacity to be party to the case, while Sobhan said, "We just want to save our skin, and we haw no allegation against anyone."
After submissions from both sides, the bench coinnrising justices Mirza Hossein Haider and Mamnun Rahman granted the prayer and started hearing arguments on the
Earlier on November 18, an HC bench issued the rule on die commission, Maj (retd) Hafiz, six standing committee members and the govern -ment, asking them to reply why' the EC's invitation letter should not be declared illegal.
On November 5 last year, the commission invited Hafiz to the dialogue slated for November 22. Earlier on October 29, the standing committee appointed M Saifur Rahman and Hafiz as acting chairman and acting secretary general of BNP
But the EC cancelled its invitation after the HC had stayed operation of the letter. The stay came in response to a writ petition filed by Khaleda Zia challenging the legality of invitation to the Saifur-led faction.
TH Khan yesterday told the court that from reading die standing committee meeting's (October 29] resolution one can be sure that Bhuiyan was indeed expelled by the chairperson.
Besides, he argued, the committee’s replacing Khandaker Delwar as the secretary general on health grounds means diey acknowledged his appointment by Khaleda.
Furthermore, he said, the BNP constitution does not provide for appointing an acting secretary general.
The lawyer continued that the resolution should be the source of argument here and it says every action at that meeting was against the (BNP) constitution.
Regarding out the resolution, he claimed some of the participants in the committee meeting maintain they were given a pre-arranged paper and asked to sign, which they did.
The now detained former prime minister's counsel said he has statements made by affidavit about the whole affair from four of the partici-
More over, he said, the resolution does not say who convened the meeting.
According to the party constitution, only Khaleda Zia has the authority to convene a standing committee meeting, he added.
However, what the BNP constitution has in it is not to be judged by the court, even if it confers absolute he contended.
The court should look at the matter in accordance with the printed materials available.
He reasoned that as the secretary general, Khandaker Delwar has all the righ t to represent BNP in any dialogue or meeting.
But the EC deprived him of that right and it was unlawful. Above all else, it is a conspiracy to divide the party, he alleged. "The chief election commissioner sitting at the Sher-e-Bangla Nagar office wants to destroy BNP’he added.