Dr Kamal Hossain’s remark that Gano Forum MPs-elect may take oath, just a day after the BNP said it will not join the parliament, has taken aback his allies in the opposition coalition.
A former Awami League leader, Dr Kamal had allied with the BNP and three other parties to launch the Jatiya Oikya Front last year eyeing the 11th National Election.
Addressing the media after the Gano Forum's extended meeting on Saturday (Jan 5), he said, they were looking at the matter of its two candidates joining the parliament “positively”.
Gano Forum may join parliament: Dr Kamal
Speaking to Bangla Tribune later, Dr Kamal, however, said it's an ‘initial decision’ before adding, “The final call will be made after discussing it with the allies. If the BNP comes up with a reasonable ground, it may be revised.”
According to the veteran lawyer, who leads the Oikya Front as its convener, it would be better to join the House rather criticising the administration from outside.
“I think, joining the parliament will give us a better chance to know how things are going … about the skullduggeries (by the ruling party) rather criticising from outside. And that’s why we have adopted a positive approach,” he said.
Gano Forum candidate and former DUCSU vice president Sultan Mohammad Monsur won from Moulvibazar-2 contesting with BNP’s polls logo ‘paddy sheaf’, while its candidate Mukabbir Khan won at Sylhet-2 with the party’s ‘rising sun’ symbol.
The coalition’s largest member BNP won only five seats and announced on Thursday (Jan 3), when Awami League and Jatiya Party MPs took oaths of their offices, that they are not joining parliament.
One of the sponsors of Oikya Front, Zafrullah Chowdhury who leads a pro-BNP professionals’ body, says his personal view was in favour of joining the parliament, but added the matter needs to be “minutely scrutinised”.
“I think the Oikya Front should carry out its movement both from inside and outside the parliament. What’s the point of wasting the chance to criticise the government’s policy in the House?
“We as well as the whole nation know how the election was … it seemed to be an inclusive one but marred with widespread rigging,” he told Bangla Tribune.
However, it was clear from Gano Forum allies’ reactions that the statements have created an aura of mistrust.
“We had discussed the matter with Gano Forum. Dr Kamal, with our secretary general beside him, announced in front of the media that he has rejected the results,” said senior BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, who sits on the Oikya Front’s policymaking Steering Committee.

“However, it was their (Gano Forum’s) internal meeting. We will wait until what they decide before coming up with an official reaction,” Hossain, a member of BNP’s highest forum National Standing Committee, told Bangla Tribune on Saturday.
A senior leader of ASM Abdur Rab-led Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal said that Gano Forum’s decision would affect the alliance.
“From what we know, the two Gano Forum candidates are set to join the parliament, but the Oikya Front decided in principle not to … their decision will affect the Oikya Front,” its General Secretary Abdul Malek Ratan said.
Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna echoed.
“Dr Kamal Hossain himself said that he has rejected the results of the election. Let’s see what he says in the next meeting (of the Oikya Front alliance),” he told Bangla Tribune on Saturday.
Several other Oikya Front leaders, on condition of anonymity, said Dr Kamal’s statements have spurred an atmosphere of mistrust within the coalition, which may gradually lead to a rift.
The Gano Forum chief doesn’t deny that their decision may affect the coalition.
“It’s possible, but then again it depends on what our statements will be on the issue. We are not saying that the Oikya Front allies are wrong. It all depends on how we deal with it,” the octogenarian lawyer said.
This is the first time that the Gano Forum has won any seats in the parliament since Dr Kamal Hossain left the Awami League in the early 90s and formed the party.