Bangladesh News

In an unprecedented move, the Election Commission (EC) yesterday asked the rival BNP factions to unite in the next 72 hours to participate in its dialogue on the electoral reforms proposals.

In response, the ones loyal to Khaleda Zia demanded that the EC first send a formal invitation to their Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain. They said within 72 hours after the receipt of an invite they would patch up their differences with the pro-reform leaders and take part in the talks together.

“We have asked them to reunite for the electoral reform talks. And for that we gave them the next two to three days. We can’t wait any longer,” Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda told reporters after meeting the two groups separately yesterday evening.

He said both the factions have assured the commission that they would unite. “We want to sit down with a united BNP. We don’t want to be stuck in this faction thing,” he added.

Talking to newsmen, BNP chairperson’s Adviser Brig Gen (retd) Hannan Shah said they have asked the EC to issue an invitation letter to Khandaker Delwar, secretary general appointed by the chairperson.

“We have assured the CEC and the other two election commissioners that we would participate in the talks together after receiving a formal invitation,” he continued. “We hope the commission will consider our proposal.”

Since independence, no EC had to mediate internal dispute of a political party. But, officials at the EC Secretariat observed, the present one is compelled to intervene as the leadership row within BNP threatens to undermine its electoral roadmap.

The commission at meetings with the factions said it wants to see them unite for the sake of a meaningful parliamentary election.

“It’s not in our constitutional jurisdiction, but still we have taken the initiative since we don’t want to see division in a major political party like BNP,” a Saifur-led BNP leader quoted the poll chief as saying.

Leaders of pro-Khaleda faction blasted the EC for sending an invitation to its rival and for not addressing Delwar properly in the letter sent to him Wednesday.

The CEC first met four leaders of the pro-reform Saifur-led BNP at his office at 10:30am. Attended also by election commissioners Muhammed Sohul Hussain and Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain, the meeting lasted about an hour.

The other meeting, between the EC and a 15-member delegation of Delwar-led BNP, began at around 12:30pm at the EC Secretariat’s conference room.

During two-hour long discussions, the pro-Khaleda leaders headed by BNP Standing Committee Member Tanveer Ahmed Siddiqui argued that as per their constitution Delwar is the lawful secretary general of BNP. They urged the EC to send him a ‘properly addressed’ invitation for electoral reforms talks.

Coming out of the meetings, leaders of both the factions however said the BNP would contest the next general election unitedly.

“The Election Commission wants us to come together for the electoral talks. We said there might be some misunderstanding between us, but we are still united,” BNP Standing Committee Member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman, who led the four-member team of Saifur-led faction, told reporters.

Apart from the reconciliation issue, Mahbubur said, they have asked the commission to declare an election schedule immediately.

Meeting sources said the Saifur-led faction also told the EC that they are ready to sit with the EC anytime as they have already been invited for the talks.

They said while they support 80 percent of the reforms proposed by the EC, they have some suggestions on other issues. At this point, the CEC said the EC might ask them to attend reforms talks within a day’s notice, added the sources.

Tanveer Ahmed Siddiqui said they had a frank discussion with the EC.

“BNP has preparations to contest the next parliamentary election unitedly,” he said referring to the discussions with the EC.

Nazrul Islam Khan, another pro-Khaleda faction stalwart, said at the beginning of the meeting they spoke of their strong objection to the way the commission had addressed Delwar in its invitation letter.

He said they have suggested that the EC ask the government to release detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. “Her presence is crucial for taking any important decision. Besides, she has no charge framed against her.”

They also demanded withdrawal of the state of emergency to create an environment conducive to holding a free and fair election.

About the much-talked about October 29 standing committee meeting that appointed M Saifur Rahman and Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed as acting chairman and acting secretary general, Nazrul, joint secretary general of BNP, said it was not a standing committee’s meeting at all.

Earlier on Wednesday, Major (retd) Hafiz and Delwar were invited to meet the EC yesterday. The invitation letters did not mention designation of the recipients.

A large number of leaders and workers loyal to Khaleda crowded the EC Secretariat premises and adjacent areas. At the end of the meeting, a group of female activists who somehow took position inside the EC Secretariat amid beefed up security measures chanted slogans against the commission and CEC.

Journalists who were earlier allowed in the EC Secretariat’s conference room during talks with the other political parties were not given any access yesterday.

WHAT THE EC MAY DO

Asked what the EC would do if the factions are not united, CEC Huda somewhat vaguely said they would “take the next course of action”.

The EC could not hold talks with the BNP in over last five months due to the leadership dispute. Earlier on November 5 last year, it invited the Saifur-led faction to participate in the electoral talks. But in the face of legal complexities, it had to suspend the meeting scheduled for November 22.

Queried whether the EC would act in line with its earlier decision to have only the Saifur-led faction in its talks, the CEC replied in the negative and said, “There must be a long-term solution to the BNP issue.”

Requested for reaction to the pro-Khaleda faction’s proposal for a formal invitation to Delwar, he said he knows nothing about it.

“We will send a formal invitation once they are united,” added Huda.

Sources in the EC said they would wait for next three days to see whether the BNP factions could resolve the differences. “If the issue is not resolved within the time limit, the commission will take its next step next week,” said one of them.