The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

BNP Advisory Council member Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah yesterday blamed the Election Commission for the current deadlock in holding dialogue with BNP by taking a controversial decision by sending its invitation letter to the reformist group.

The issue of holding the Election Commission's (EC's) dialogue with the BNP is pending trial in a High Court Division bench of the Supreme Court, as the party Chief Begum Khaleda Zia moved a writ petition against the EC's letter of invitation to reformist Acting Secretary General Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed.

The EC would not sit with the BNP for dialogue on electoral reform until the disposition of the writ petition that has created the deadlock.

"This complexity could not at all have been created had the Election Commission sent the invitation letter to Khandaker Delwar Hossain, who was appointed party Secretary General by BNP Chairperson Begum Zia," he told journalists at his DOH residence at Mohakhali in the capital after a meeting with three Joint Secretaries General of the party.

BNP Joint Secretaries General Nazrul Islam Khan, Begum Selima Rahman and Goyeswar Chandra Roy attended the meeting. Former party MP Mohammad Shajahan was also present.

The meeting reviewed the latest political situation and the reunification of the BNP, which is now divided between the two factions-the reformist led by Acting Chairman M Saifur Rahman and the anti-reform group led by Secretary General Khandaker Delwar.

Expressing the hope that the EC would invite Khandaker Delwar Hossain to the dialogue, Hannan Shah said the Commission should consider that the BNP across the country was united under Begum Zia's leadership.

"We believe that election is a means to hand over power. But there is a subtle move to hold polls bypassing a major political party," he said, asserting, "We saw in the past election under any blueprint was never acceptable."

Asked about the possibility of the his party, the BNP leader said unity is only possible if the reformist group agrees to accept the BNP before October 29.

"After my release, I have pushed the ball to reformists' the court," Hannan Shah said, adding, "The unity is possible since both the sides of us (BNP) have accepted Begum Zia as the top leader of the party."

"Unity is possible as per her directive and the reformist group should have follow and respect Chairperson Begum Zia's instructions," he told a questioner.