Oikyafront's unity remains intact: Gono Forum

Dr Kamal Hossain-led Gono Forum said on Monday Jatiya Oikyafront's unity is still intact and strong, report agencies.

In a statement, Gono Forum general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu said, "Jatiya Oikyafront was formed to realise people's voting rights through ensuring a free, fair, acceptable and participatory election. The unity of the Jatiya Oikyafront still remains very strong and unscathed."

The statement was issued following media reports that Gono Forum's two MPs-elect are going to join the 11th parliament.

Montu said some media outlets ran 'untrue and baseless' reports about joining parliament by any MP-elect of the Jatiya Oikyafront. "Gono Forum hasn't taken any decision to join parliament. Jatiya Oikyafront is firm on its decision not to take oath by any MP of it," he added.

Earlier, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said BNP and Oikyafront's all partners are united.

Meanwhile, Gono Forum's two MPs-elect --Sultan Mohammad Mansur (Moulvibazar-2) and Mokabbir Khan (Sylhet-2) -- said they think their party will take a positive decision about joining parliament showing respect to people's mandate given in favour of them.

However, Gono Forum executive president Subrata Chowdhury said his party and Jatiya Oikya Front are still firm in their position not to send their MPs to parliament.

He said his party may talk about the issue and take the final decision once Dr Kamal Hossain returns home from abroad.

He said Dr Kamal Hossain was supposed to return home early Monday, but it was deferred for some unavoidable reasons. "Sir (Kamal) may come back home one or two days later."

Subrata Chowdhury said Sultan Mansur and Mokabbir Khan are the members of Jatiya Oikya Front's steering committee. "Ask them how they talk about joining parliament when the alliance has rejected the election results and decided not to go to parliament."