Dr Kamal mulls new political alliance

Noted jurist Dr Kamal Hossain, president of Gono Forum, yesterday said his party started taking opinions on whether to form a new alliance ahead of the next parliamentary elections.
On whether he will lead the alliance, he said, “Our decision will come after everyone's opinion has been taken. We have started taking opinions from here (yesterday's press conference).”
Meanwhile, former president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury's Press Secretary Jahangir Alam said a new political alliance would be launched by Badruddoza and Dr Kamal.
The duo will announce the launching on October 22 through a press conference in the capital's Sonargaon Hotel, he said, adding, “The alliance's name will be formally announced in December or early January.”
Dr Kamal, addressing a press conference Gono Forum organised in the capital's Jatiya Press Club, said newspapers reveal that people definitely want a change after seeing that public representatives were not keeping their pre-election pledges.
“We have started taking opinions on how that change will happen. We will take opinions everyday and seek opinion from different communities and professionals,” he said.
On whether his party will contest in the election independently, he said they would take a decision beneficial for the nation.
The constitution expert, however, said he would continue his campaign of 23-point reform proposals chalked out by the 14 political parties in 2005 to ensure a free and fair election.
The party in power had also talked about the reform proposals before the elections, he said.
He said he had heard that the word reform in Bangladesh had become negative, for instance, seeking reform was considered “conspiracy” while a pro-reformist was a “bad person”.
On the recent attack on Buddhist community, he said, “We have to dig deep and find the motive without blaming each other.”
On the prime minister's statement that the next parliamentary election would be held after Jatiya Sangsad's dissolution, Dr Kamal said the prime minister says many things but often retreats from her earlier remarks for the nation's interests.