DHAKA: The government-backed faction of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party took control of the party’s headquarters at Naya Paltan area of the capital city on Wednesday morning amid huge police protection to thwart any possible resistance by the mainstream workers.

The mainstream faction led by Khandaker Delwar Hossain denounced the move, saying that it was a ‘forcible occupation’ by the ‘conspirators’ blessed by ‘certain quarters.’

Activists loyal to Khandaker Delwar, secretary general appointed by the party’s chairperson Khaleda Zia, were not allowed by the police to stay around the office till the top leaders of Saifur-led faction were present there.

Vehicular movement on the street came to a virtual halt for the crowd creating severe traffic congestion on both ends of Inner Circular Road.

Few activists loyal to Delwar, however, defied the security measures and entered in the area restricted for them. They shouted at the leaders of the Saifur-led faction from distance as the leaders were entering in the office building one after another maintaining small intervals.

Asked about deployment of huge police, a top Dhaka Metropolitan Police official said the law men were sent there upon instruction from higher authority to avert untoward situation.

Meanwhile, Khandaker Delwar-led faction held an impromptu press briefing to denounce the ‘forced occupation’ of the party office by Saifur Rahman faction, ‘blessed by certain quarters.’

The acting office secretary of the faction, Rizvi Ahmed, said, ‘The conspirators entered the party office like thieves amid police protection and immediately left like coward jackals.’

“When our activists protested against the conspirators, police beat them up and arrested them. There has been an unholy alliance between the administration and the conspirators.”

In another development, the Election Commission on Wednesday afternoon responded the legal notice of the detained BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, claiming that its decision on inviting Saifur Rahman-led faction was right and it will not scrap the decision.

“We have said in the reply that there is no scope for withdrawal or cancellation of invitation letter (for dialogue) sent to acting BNP secretary general Hafizuddin Ahmed,” chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda told reporters after sending the reply to Khaleda’s legal notice.

Khaleda Zia, also the former prime minister, on Tuesday issued the legal notice asking the commission for withdrawal of its invitation letter to M Hafizuddin Ahmed, who was appointed as the acting secretary-general of the party at a controversial meeting of the standing committee on Oct 29.

Threatening the commission with legal action in case of failure to withdraw the invitation, the legal notice said that the invitation letter ‘must be withdrawn, rescinded or cancelled within 48 hours.’

Khaleda’s counsel, Awshad Zamir, told reporters that he received the reply of the commission at 3pm. “The reply is not acceptable and we must go for legal recourses.”

“We will consult senior lawyers to decide the form of the course of legal action against the commission illegal step,” Khaleda’s lawyer told the press.