The latest drama surrounding the Gonojagoron Moncho intensified, when a group claiming to be a part of the Moncho but allegedly backed by the Awami League and its student wing yesterday “relieved” Imran H Sarker from the spokesperson role of the anti-war criminal platform.
The faction also announced that a five-member spokesperson panel would conduct the activities of Moncho from now on.
Kamal Pasha Chowdhury, claiming to be an organiser of the platform, made the announcement at a press conference held under the banner of “Gonojagoron Moncho Activists and Organisers” in Shahbagh.
Meanwhile, in a reaction to the announcement, Gonojagoron Moncho Convener Imran H Sarker claimed that the press conference had been held under the direct instruction of the Awami League.
At yesterday’s press conference, Kamal Pasha said: “We relieved him [Imran] as the spokesperson of the organisation and from now on, none of his statement shall be counted as the statements of the Moncho... A five-member spokesperson panel will work as the mouthpiece of Gonojagoron Moncho.”
“Soon we will disclose the names of the panel members,” Pasha said, adding that the Moncho was set to organise a national activists’ conference and make a list of the organisations that helped the platform.
Earlier on April 6, the same group “expelled” Imran H Sarker, the spokesperson for the Moncho, declaring him “unwanted” in the platform.
Most of the people who attended yesterday’s press conference were allegedly directly involved with the politics of Awami League and Bangladesh Chhatra League.
However, leaders of JSD Chhatra League, Chhatra Moitree, Chhatra Andolan and Chhatro Somity, whose mother organisations are all allied with the ruling party, did not attend yesterday’s programme.
Bappadyitto Basu, president of Chhatra Moitree, said: “We urged Imran H Sarker to fix all these disputes by arranging meeting with all groups. Now we are observing his activities... we also do not support the group which made the announcement on relieving Imran H Sarker from the spokesperson role. What they did is totally undemocratic. All groups have to sit together to make such a decision.”
In his reaction to the latest developments, Imran said: “As the Moncho is not a political organisation, no one person is allowed to discharge me from my responsibilities.”
He claimed: “The announcement surprised me. I heard that it was made as per the directive of a central leader of Awami League... It is the platform of the people and only they have the right to discharge me anytime,” Imran added.
On the other hand, HM Bodiujjaman, president of Chhatra League, claimed that the BCL did not know anything about the activities of the group that made yesterday’s announcement and did not have any involvement with them.
