The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Both groups of the BNP are awaiting an invitation letter from the Election Commission to join the ongoing dialogue on electoral reforms, party sources said yesterday.

Leaders of both the factions are claiming their respective group as the 'genuine BNP' to justify the legitimacy of their demand for a letter from the Election Commission (EC).

BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain said they should be given the letter since they are 'main stream' of the BNP as party Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, who is now in prison, with them while the reformist group led by Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan said they should be treated as the 'main stream' since most of the leaders and former MP's are with them.

Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda said the Commission has not yet decide as to which group of BNP it would invite.

Justifying his claim, BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday said they should receive the EC letter for dialogue on the electoral reforms, as they are the legitimate BNP according to the party constitution.

Referring to conflicting reports in newspapers in last two days over the EC's

invitation to BNP, he said some newspapers quoting CEC Dr Shamsul Huda reported on Friday that the EC would send them the invitation letter as the legitimate BNP but some newspapers yesterday said the Commission has not yet taken any decision in this regard.

"We do not understand it. The CEC and newspapers know better. But what we know is that we are the legitimate BNP," he said.

He reiterated his claim that BNP to be one and united and there was no groupings in the party. "If there is anything that might be at individual levels," he added.

Reformist BNP leader Ashraf Hossain said the EC should invite them as they are the 'mainstream' of the party since most of the BNP leaders and MPs are with them.

"Besides, the Election Commission, while taking a decision, should consider that we have given a complete proposal for the electoral, political and administrative reforms in the country," he said.

When asked about Khandaker Delwar's claim, Ashraf Hossain said, "They do not believe in the democratic electoral and political reforms."