Jatiya Oikaya Front leader Dr Kamal Hossain has said that their alliance will come to power through a united movement and return the country to its rightful owners – the people.
“According to the constitution, the country’s real owners are the people, but they are deprived from it. That is why people must unite and demand a free and fair election. We must retrieve the lost democracy at any cost,” he said on Wednesday.
His remarks came at the first Jatiya Oikya Front rally, since its formation on October 13, held at the Registrar's Office Field in Sylhet’s Bandarbazar in the afternoon.
He said: “We have united to ensure the development of the 160 million people. Inshallah, we will come to power through our united movement and people will get back their ownership of the country.”
Reminding that the Bangalis had been successful whenever they got united in the past, he added: “We all must get united and take to streets to free the country from the grasp of the autocrat, become independent citizens of a free country and restore people’s ownership of power and the country.”
Dr Kamal was the chief guest of the rally, which was organized by the alliance’s Sylhet chapter and addressed by the top coalition leaders, including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Sylhet city Mayor and BNP Ariful Haque Chowdhury presided over the rally that started around 2pm and was attended by thousands of leaders and activists of the alliance member parties – BNP, Gono Forum, Nagorik Oikya and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rab).
Oikya Front organized the rally, its first political program, to mobilize public support in favour of its seven-point charter of demands, including holding the next election under an impartial government.
Addressing the rally, Oikya Front leaders had reiterated their demands, which also include release of BNP chief Khaleda Zia and other political prisoners, dissolution of parliament before the announcement of the 11th general election schedule, resignation of the government, no electronic voting machines in the polls and reformation of the Election Commission.
Dr Kamal said though the government talks about development, only a handful of people have been benefited. “The development of a few people is not the real development... We want the development of all. Let’s get united for the real development.”
The eminent jurist also urged people to make the national unity stronger at every village, upazila and districts.
‘Quit to ensure credible polls’
Speaking at the rally as the main speaker, Mirza Fakhrul said that Oikya Front’s main target was to restore democracy and people’s voting rights. “Our target is also to build a welfare-state. Let’s get united.”
He also called upon people, including BNP leaders and activists, to get ready to make sacrifices for making their movement a success.
Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said that the government would not be able to hold a one-sided election this time as millions of people would guard the polling centres and would remain in the field.
He urged the government to quit power before the polls schedule was announced and engage in talks with political parties to ensure a credible election.
Gono Forum Executive President Subrata Chowdhury said: “The downfall of this government has started from today (Wednesday).”
JSD-Rab Vice President Tania Rab claimed that the alliance’s leaders and activists had faced obstructions on their way to the rally venue.
Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) Secretary General Redwan Ahmed at the rally also officially extended their full support to Jatiya Oikya Front on behalf of LDP Chairman Col (retd) Oli Ahmed.
LDP is a member of the 20-party Alliance, which is led by BNP.
Before Wednesday’s rally started, senior leaders of Oikya Front visited the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) and Shah Paran (R), and the grave of General MAG Osmani, and offered prayers there on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
BNP Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, Gono Forum General Secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu, Oikya Prokriya Member Secretary Mostafa Amin, some leaders of the 20-party Alliance, including Jatiya Party’s (Zafar) Mostafa Jamal Haider, Islami Oikya Jote’s MA Rakib, and Khelafat Majlish’s Ahmed Abdul Kader, among others, spoke at the rally.
