Urging democratic forces to unite in a bid to restore ‘functional democracy’, Jatiya Oiky Front convener Kamal Hossain said anything can be achieved with a united force.
“As per the constitution, the country is supposed to be ruled by those elected public representatives who will get majority through a free and fair election. We want the country to be governed as per the constitution with ensuring true democracy,” he said.
Kamal, who leads the Gano Forum political party, made the remarks attending an iftar hosted by Mahmudur Rahman Manna’s Nagorik Oikya on Saturday at the Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium.
Unity of people a must to protect the independence earned through the blood of hundreds of thousands of martyrs, said Kamal.
“That’s why, I urge all to remain united. We’ll ensure pure and functional democracy, and restore people’s all the basic rights with united efforts upholding the constitution. We’ll surely do it.”
Those who have become MPs through a flawed election cannot claim themselves as elected public representatives, according to the Gano Forum chief.
Addressing the audience, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said those who now run the country do not represent people as they usurped power by force.
The government has BNP chief Khaleda Zia in jail only to cling onto power, he said before adding, “They know it very well that they’ll be forced to quit power in the face of a united movement of people if our leader (Khaleda) remains out of jail.”
Fakhrul said it is a better sign that democracy-loving people are now getting united to restore democracy and people’s all the lost rights. “We must defeat the current autocratic regime through a united movement.”
Ex-Gonoforum general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu, its executive president Subrata Chowdhury, current general secretary Reza Kibria, JSD general secretary Abdul Malek Ratan, Bangladesher Biplobi Workers Party general secretary Saiful Hauqe, Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury and Prof Asif Nazrul of Dhaka University were, among others, present at the programme held with Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna in the chair.