EC won't scrap invitation to Hafiz for talks
Thursday, 15 November 2007
The Election Commission (EC) Wednesday answered to Khaleda Zia's legal notice and said it would not go back on the invitation to acting BNP secretary general Hafizuddin Ahmed to join the reforms dialogue, reports bdnews24.com.
Khaleda, the detained BNP chief, served a legal notice Tuesday on the EC, asking it to withdraw the invitation of Hafizuddin within 48 hours.
She threatened to take legal action against the EC if it did not scrap the invitation of Hafizuddin Ahmed to dialogue.
"We have responded to the legal notice of Khaleda Zia today," Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said to journalists at the EC secretariat.
Asked what the commission's response to the notice was, the CEC said, "We haven't moved from our position."
The EC would not scrap the decision to invite Hafizuddin, Huda added.
He said they would accept the verdict of the court on a petition on which faction of BNP should be invited to the dialogue slated for Nov 22.
UNB adds: Detained BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia would go for a legal battle over the Election Commission recognition of the Saifur-Hafiz faction as mainstream of the party for dialogue on electoral reforms.
After receiving the EC's reply Wednesday on demand-of- justice notice against the move, Barrister Nasiruddin Ashim, counsel for Khaleda, told the news agency that the EC answer is "disappointing" and "self-contradictory" as well.
"Since the EC sticks to its guns, her client would go for legal battle at any court of law for redress," said the lawyer.
Khaleda, the detained BNP chief, served a legal notice Tuesday on the EC, asking it to withdraw the invitation of Hafizuddin within 48 hours.
She threatened to take legal action against the EC if it did not scrap the invitation of Hafizuddin Ahmed to dialogue.
"We have responded to the legal notice of Khaleda Zia today," Chief Election Commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda said to journalists at the EC secretariat.
Asked what the commission's response to the notice was, the CEC said, "We haven't moved from our position."
The EC would not scrap the decision to invite Hafizuddin, Huda added.
He said they would accept the verdict of the court on a petition on which faction of BNP should be invited to the dialogue slated for Nov 22.
UNB adds: Detained BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia would go for a legal battle over the Election Commission recognition of the Saifur-Hafiz faction as mainstream of the party for dialogue on electoral reforms.
After receiving the EC's reply Wednesday on demand-of- justice notice against the move, Barrister Nasiruddin Ashim, counsel for Khaleda, told the news agency that the EC answer is "disappointing" and "self-contradictory" as well.
"Since the EC sticks to its guns, her client would go for legal battle at any court of law for redress," said the lawyer.