Oikyafront stays in electoral battle

The Jatiya Oikyafront has finally declared to participate in the forthcoming general election to be held under the present government.

But the coalition of opposition parties has demanded that the Election Commission (EC) defer the polls schedule for at least one month and announce it afresh.

The election was earlier slated for December 23.

"The Jatiya Oikyafront has decided to participate in the election to restore democracy," said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday.

"We call upon the government and the EC for an environment conducive to election," he read out a written statement signed by Dr Kamal Hossain.

"The EC must defer the election schedule for at least one month and declare it afresh," he said emphatically.

Earlier, Oikyafront leaders held rounds of discussions on the issue of their participation in the polls.

"People are the owners of the country. We want to establish their ownership," said Oikyafront leader Dr Kamal Hossain who was present at the briefing.

"We'll go for movement if there is no level-playing field for contesting in the polls. If needed, we'll move to the court for legal action," he warned.

Asked if they do not get any remedy, he replied, "Let us see what happens."

Dr Kamal, a noted jurist and also president of Gono Forum, said soon after the election schedule is declared, BTV and some other private TV stations aired the government's development activities.

This is grossly in violation of the electoral code of conduct, he stated.

"The Oikyafront will remain vigilant to see the action of the government and the EC for holding a free and fair election," Dr Kamal said.

"If they (the government and the EC) fail to keep their word for a fair election, they will be held responsible for creating an untoward situation," he cautioned.

The government and the EC during dialogues assured the Oikyafront leaders of making a level-playing field for a credible and participatory election.

At the event, Mr Alamgir said the government did not accept the seven-point demand of Oikyafront.

The present situation is not favourable for holding a free, fair, transparent and participatory election, he maintained.

"We decided to contest in the election as part of our (Oikyafront) ongoing movement to restore people's rights," he said.

About the election symbol of Oikyafront, Mr Alamgir, also the spokesperson for the alliance, said, "We'll reveal it later."

He said Oikyafront will sit soon and make a decision on all the matters relating to the nomination of candidates and election symbol.

Meanwhile, an influential BNP leader told the FE that they have got the go-ahead from the imprisoned party chairman Khaleda Zia for participating in the polls.

The written statement said the 2014 election snatched people's basic democratic and voting rights.

The new election will be an opportunity to get back their right to exercise their franchise, it added.

The people (voters) will remain in the field to exercise their volition freely during the election, said the statement.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) president ASM Abdur Rab, BNP standing committee member Barrister Moudud Ahmed and Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, among others, were present at the programme.

In another development, BNP said on Sunday that eight parties will participate in the polls with BNP's election symbol "paddy sheaf".

A BNP team informed the EC of the matter through a letter handed by member of BNP chairperson advisory council Bijon Kanti Sarcar and others.

The letter, signed by Mr Alamgir, said eight registered political parties will contest in the next polls with BNP party symbol.

They are BNP, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), Khelafat Majlish, Jatiya Gonotantrik Party, Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Bangladesh Muslim League and Jamaet E Ulema Islam Bangladesh.

Later in the day, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press briefing said the party will sell nomination paper from its Nayapaltan office this afternoon.

Nomination paper will cost Tk 5,000 each.

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