The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

All eyes are set on the High Court as it delivers judgment on the politically significant BNP leadership dispute centering upon the stalled dialogue on electoral reforms initiated by the Election Commission ahead of next general election.

The BNP leadership controversy surfaced when on November 5 last year the EC, ignoring Khaleda-appointed BNP secretary general Khandker Delwar Hossain, sent a letter to the reformist faction of Maj (Retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed to participate in the dialogue.

As the immediate-past ruling party fell in trouble in the interim period following the EC decision, detained BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia filed a writ petition before the High Court challenging validity of the Commission's letter inviting the reformist faction for the dialogue.

On November 18 last year, four days before the proposed dialogue, the High Court, responding to Khaleda's writ, had stayed operation of the EC letter to Major Hafiz, throwing the EC-sponsored per-poll dialogue into dilemmas.

The High Court had also issued a rule upon the EC in this regard.

Khaleda Zia had sought two remedies from the High Court-a declaration that the November 5 EC letter to Hafiz to represent the BNP and participate in the dialogue scheduled for Nov 22 is without lawful authority and a direction for the EC to invite Khandker Delwar Hossain for the dialogue.

On September 2 last year, hours before her arrest in connection with a corruption case, the ex-PM had sacked her secretary general Mannan Bhuiyan on charge of anti-party activities and handpicked Delwar as new secretary general.

Meanwhile, after eight weeks, on October 29, the reformist group led by M Saifur Rahman held a standing-committee meeting at his Gulshan house and appointed Maj (retd) Hafiz acting BNP secretary general.

Since the BNP leadership depends on the decision of the High Court ruling, the EC could not complete its dialogue programme with the political parties on electoral reforms.

On Feb 27 this year, the rule hearing on the writ petition began before the High Court division bench of Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Mamnoon Rahman.

On March 24, the High Court concluded the legal battle after exhausting eleven working days and set April 10 for judgment.

Eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain appeared for the EC and senior advocate TH Khan for Khaleda Zia in the case of high political import.

Bangladesh-UK relations based on firm partnership, says Foreign Adviser

UNB, Dhaka

Foreign Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury has said the relationship between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom are rooted in history, and those shared values have been translated into an active 'strategic partnership' in contemporary times.

He made the remarks after a meeting Ms. Jacqui Smith, the UK Home Minister at State Guest House Padma yesterday afternoon.

The Foreign Adviser reportedly had asked for a 'special scheme' to allow for Bangladeshi restaurants in the UK to recruit from Bangladeshi cooks and chefs for their industry, which has an annual turn-over of over 3.5 billion pound.

"We also discussed key current issues including Climate Change and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, two areas in which our two countries are working closely together", Iftekhar said.

He said "We have appreciated British support to education and post-sidr rehabilitations. The recent talks between the Chief Adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed and Prime Minister Gordon Brown at No. 10 Downing Street took our relations to new heights."

Iftekhar said "Issues of counter-terrorism and how this can be best addressed also came up in the discussions."