Khaleda serves legal notice on EC for inviting Hafiz faction

---

Counsel of detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia Tuesday served a legal notice asking the Election Commission (EC) to withdraw or revoke within 48 hours the letter inviting Hafizuddin Ahmed as BNP representative for its November 22 dialogue on electoral reforms, reports UNB.
If fails to do so, the EC will have to face appropriate legal action, the notice cautioned.
The notice, served by Barrister Mohammad Nawshad Zamir, alleged that the EC's letter, dated November 5, was issued with intent to subvert the process of law. It termed the EC's letter illegal, malafide and without lawful jurisdiction in violation of the BNP constitution.
Citing the party constitution, it said, BNP chairperson, the only elected person in the party portfolio, enjoys exclusive authority and power to hire and fire anybody in her party.
The BNP chairperson appointed Khandaker Delwar Hossain secretary general, expelling Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan from the party on September 2, a day before Khaleda was arrested in connection with a corruption case.
Communicating the matter to the EC by letters, dated September 5 and September 24, BNP office secretary Rizvi Ahmed requested the EC to invite BNP's new secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain for the dialogue.
In absence of the BNP chairperson, the legal notice said, the secretary general is the only legitimate representative of BNP for the proposed dialogue.
On the EC's plea of 'doctrine of necessity', reportedly compelling it to hurriedly issue the letter of invitation to Hafiz, the notice said, the EC's action in this regard is completely inappropriate and inapplicable.
The legal notice referred to a writ petition, filed on November 4 before the High Court (HC) that issued a rule upon the EC to explain why a direction should not be given to call upon the legitimate BNP officials for the dialogue on electoral reforms.