Doctrine of necessity guides EC to invite reformist BNP faction to dialogue: CEC

---

It is not the party's constitution but 'doctrine of necessity' guided the Election Commission in inviting the reformist faction of BNP to sit for dialogue on electoral reforms, CEC Dr ATM Shamsul Huda said Tuesday amid raging contentions over their decision, reports UNB.
Backtracking on his earlier repeated statement that the EC would send its invitation to the BNP examining the party constitution, the CEC said it is not that everything would have to take place abiding by constitution since many things happen as per convention.
"We followed the doctrine of necessity (in inviting BNP)," he told journalists when repeatedly asked on what basis they invited the Saifur-Hafiz faction of the squabble-rattled immediate-past ruling party.
When pointed out that only the party chairperson could call standing-committee meeting and it would have to be presided over by her, CEC Huda noted that the party chairperson is not active since she is now in confinement.
"So calling or not calling meeting (of standing committee) is not possible (in this situation). But for that reason a party can't be broken down, it has to be run, and that is why we said that their meeting is correct," he argued.
There is no matter of taking sides or opposition, the CEC said to dispel any doubt about their impartiality, adding that they did not think it would be wise to invite both the factions.
Sometimes rules, regulations and tradition are also to be followed besides constitution, he said, citing an example of a recent past that Maj (retd) Akhtaruzzaman was given opportunity of self-defence.
"This incident has also been considered how BNP handled the situation… When this convention was followed once, then it would have to follow again," CEC Huda said.
When his attention was drawn to the fact that one of the standing-committee members, who was present at the committee meeting on October 29, stated Monday that it was not any standing-committee meeting at all, the CEC posed a question: why it is being said now.
"We thought that there was no problem when no one raised any objection from October 29 to November 4… We would have considered if anyone of the seven who were present at the meeting had said that he was not present or he was forced… But none said," he told the reporters.
About not considering the other faction's letter to EC that was submitted by Hannan Shah on November 4, the Chief Election Commissioner said Shah is not a member of the standing committee.