The participation of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, now in jail following her conviction in a graft case, in the next parliamentary polls will depend on the decision of the court, EC acting secretary of  Helal Uddin Ahmed said yesterday.

 Quoting chief election commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda, the EC acting secretary said that the commission has no role to play regarding Khaleda's participation in the next parliamentary election.

Helal Uddin Ahemd was speaking with reporters at Election Bhaban after a European Union (EU) delegation, headed by Jean Lambert, met the CEC to discuss various aspects of the next general election. “One of the delegation members asked about Khaleda Zia’s participation in the election. The CEC told them that it was a matter for the court to decide. The EC would follow the court’s decision,” he said. The EU delegation told the EC that they wanted to see it play an effective role in the next parliamentary election, he added.

Khaleda Zia’s participation in next parliamentary election has become doubtful as various legal and political issues have come to the surface.

Earlier, on February 11, law minister Anisul Huq had said that the fate of Khaleda Zia’s participation would be decided by the court and the EC.

Khaleda Zia has been convicted in a graft case and sentenced to five years in jail. Other cases against her have resurfaced, making the situation very complex for the BNP to decide its next course of action.

Questions are being raised about the authenticity of a participatory election if the BNP chooses to stay away from the polls. The BNP and some other political parties had boycotted the 9th parliamentary poll over political disagreements with the government over the formation of an election-time administration to hold the election.

The CEC had told the media a few weeks ago that a participatory election cannot be ensured without the BNP taking part in it.