The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Imprisoned BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia will soon write to the Election Commission as to which committee it should invite to ongoing dialogue according to the party constitution.

She will also write to the court through the jail authority explaining BNP constitution pertaining to the controversy over the formation of new committee.

Her counselor Advocate Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas disclosed this yesterday after a meeting with the former Prime Minister inside the special jail, where she is detained.

He said Begum Zia has indicated her rejection of the new committee headed by M Saifur Rahman as Acting Chairperson and Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed as Acting Secretary General.

The BNP Standing Committee recently appointed Saifur and Hafiz to their new office recently.

The BNP Supremo's latest action came amidst acrimonious debates and individual mudslinging between the leaders of the rival groups of her party.

The bitter debates between the reformist and anti-reformist groups recently deteriorated into mudslinging following the appointment of new provisional leadership comprising Saifur Rahman and Major Hafiz.

Hafiz and front ranking anti-reform leader Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah pushed the debates to the lowest level blaming each other for involvement in the killing of the late President Ziaur Rahman.

Former BNP Vice-Chariman Lt Gen (retd) Mir Shawkat Ali on Saturday and LDP President and former BNP Standing Committee member Col (retd) Oli Ahmed yesterday refueled the debates by siding with the anti-reformist.

Advocate Shimul Biswas, who had a lengthy 2-hour meeting with Begum Khaleda in the special jail from 2-30 to 4-30pm, told journalists that the BNP Chairperson appeared to be strict on her previous action (appointment of Khandaker Delwar Hossain as Secretary General purging Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan.)

"BNP Chairperson is strict to her previous stand," he said, adding, "She has urged all leaders and workers of the party unitedly forgetting the differences."

Asked if he had discussed about the BNP's new committee led by Saifur Rahman he said, "Begum Zia has given an explanation and I will give details at a press conference at my court chamber today."

"She urged the lawyers across the country to form legal committees for freeing the detained BNP leaders and activists," said Shimul Biswas, who is also a member of the BNP National Executive Committee and Managing Editor of party mouthpiece Dainik Dinkal, a vernacular daily.

He said they have also discussed about the case of Begum Zia and other imprisoned leaders of the party.

Meanwhile, throwing a challenge to Brig Gen Hannan Shah to prove his contention, BNP Acting Secretary General Major Hafiz yesterday said he would give up politics if Hannan Shah could prove the allegation.

In a related development, a 10-member BNP delegation led by Hannan Shah yesterday at a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda demanded the Election Commission to invite the anti-reform faction to the ongoing dialogue on political reforms.