Jatiya Oikya Front of Friday held a public hearing, listing alleged irregularities during the 11th general election to show respect to the constitution.
"We are not judges, and we don't have any judicial authority or responsibility to hold any trial. In the public hearing, the candidates (of December-30 election) will present their statements before people and people will judge it. But, the trial will be held in the election tribunal," said Oikya Front convener Dr Kamal Hossain at the onset of the hearing.
As the head of the seven-member jury panel for the hearing, Dr Kamal further said: “The main objective of the public hearing is to show respect to the constitution, as it states that the country belongs to the people. We had waged the Liberation War to protect our voting rights."
The public hearing began at the Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium around 10am and continued till around 5pm, with a one-hour break from 1pm.
Mentioning that many candidates have already lodged complaints regarding election irregularites the country's election tribunal, Dr Kamal said Oikya Front is holding the public hearing to let people know what happened in the election.
"As the owners of the country, people wanted to elect their representatives through the election. They should be informed what actually happened in the election," he observed.
Dr Kamal, also the President of Gono Forum, said statements by candidates who ran in the election will later be published in a book.
Fakhrul’s statement
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said a “farcical” election was held in the country on December 30.
He alleged the government is ruling the country as per its whim in the absence of a democratic atmosphere. "The government has no accountability to people now."
Fakhrul also read out a condolence motion in memory of those killed in Chawkbazar fire incident.
One-minute silence
The Oikya Front leaders and activists paid homage to the victims of the fire in Chawkbazar by observing a one-minute silence.
Special prayers were also offered, seeking salvation for the victims' departed souls and for the early recovery of those suffered injuries.
Other members of the jury panel for the public hearing are Prof Emajuddin Ahmed, ex-judge AKM Anisur Rahman Khan, Prof Nurul Amin Bepari, Prof Dilara Chowdhury, Prof Asif Nazrul and Advocate Mohsin Rashid.
Senior leaders of BNP, Gono Forum, JSD, Nagorik Oikya and Krishak Sramik Janata League, Oikya Front's candidates for the 11th general polls, as well as activists and supporters of the alliance participated in the program.
The public hearing was scheduled to be held on February 24. However, Oikya Front rescheduled it to February 22, as they failed to find a suitable venue in the capital on the scheduled date.
