Dr Kamal calls for national unity

Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday called for a national unity to establish effective democracy in the country.

“If we can forge a national unity, a bright future is awaiting us… so today I would like to call for a national unity among the like-minded civil society members and political parties,” he said.

He made the call at a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the capital marking Gonoforum's 21st founding anniversary.

Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, former president; Mujahidul Islam Selim, president of the Communist Party of Bangladesh; Dr Akbar Ali Khan, former adviser to a caretaker government; Mahmudur Rahman Manna, convener of Nagorik Oikya; and ASM Abdur Rob, president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, spoke at the discussion with Dr Kamal in the chair.

Observing that no shred of democracy now exists in the country as the current government came to power without public mandate through the “voter-less” January-5 election, the speakers said.

Criticising the January-5 parliamentary elections, Kamal said nothing other than democracy could anyway be accepted in the country.

Badruddoza Chowdhury, also president of Bikolpodhara Bangladesh, said if the current regime continued for more four-five years, democracy would be buried completely. “If we can't restore democracy, we'll be held responsible inhistory.”

Akbar Ali said it had been proved that the caretaker government system was still needed as fair election was not possible under a party government.

Former Ducsu vice-president Sultan Mohammed Mansur Ahmed, noted lawyer Shahdeen Malik, Dhaka University Professor Asif Nazrul, Bikolpodhara Secretary General Major (retd) MA Mannan, and Gonoforum General Secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu also spoke.

Ganoforum leader Advocate Subrata Chowdhury presented the keynote paper explaining 11 reasons and goals of the national unity, including political consensus or referendum on national important issues, ensuring fair elections under a neutral interim cabinet and a strong election commission.