Khaleda Zia-appointed BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday said the dialogue between the pro-Saifur faction and the Election Commission (EC) is part of a blueprint to exclude BNP from the election process.
“They [pro-Saifur faction] have been invited to the dialogue and they might even get the election symbol of sheaf of paddy but they will not be able to reach the people,” Delwar told the press at his Nam flat.
“They will not be able to go to the constituencies with the election symbol as the people will give them a befitting reply,” he said, adding that the Saifur-Hafiz group is isolated from both the party and the people.
Delwar said the pro-Saifur faction participated in the dialogue under police protection to participate in a “state-managed” election.
On Saturday’s remark of Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain that those who are demanding release of the detained politicians are themselves involved in criminal activities, Delwar said, “He has lost the balance of his mind. Those who will never win in an election now want to go to power in an arranged way taking advantage of the time, but the people will resist them.”
He said, “It is a kind of terrorism…It is collaboration.”
Terming the cases filed against party leaders under Emergency Power Rules false and baseless, he said this is an effort to protect the Hafiz-led faction from public wrath.
Asked about the possibility of taking disciplinary action against Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, he said, “We are waiting for the decision of the chairperson.” Delwar, however, said as the party secretary general he has the power to take the decision alone.
Replying to a question, he said the dialogue will not be fruitful without participation of Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina.
He said the government should hand over power to elected representatives as soon as possible through holding an acceptable election after creating a congenial atmosphere by releasing the two top leaders.
Nazrul Islam Khan, Selima Rahman, Rizvi Ahmed and Nazimuddin Alam, among others, were present at the press briefing.
Tags: Bangladesh Election, Bangladesh Election 2008, Bangladesh National Party, BNP, Election-Commission, Khaleda Zia, Khandaker Delwar Hossain
Categories: Bangla, Bangladesh, Bangladesh News, Bangladesh Politics, News, Politics
