Communist Party asks Unity leaders to take to street
Communist Party Bangladesh has expressed certain doubts about commitment and political stance of renowned jurist Kamal Hossain who has recently initiated an opposition coalition of 'National Unity Process' to restore democracy and change politics.
However, at a press conference on Monday, CPB president Mujahidul Islam Selim asked the 'Unity’ leaders to take to the street and wage a movement, instead of placing paper-based demands from a safe distance.
“I hope they (Unity leaders) will launch a movement to press home their demands and will not back down,” he said during the briefing at CPB central office in the city’s Purana Paltan.
Selim, who was a promising student leader in the 1970s, is in favour of floating an alternative opposition alliance but with the left-leaning parties.
The left party demands the incumbents resign before announcement of the polls schedule and a non-party government be installed to oversee the elections -- demands that are raised as well by the opposition forcs including the BNP and now the National Unity Process.
The CPB leader still criticised Kamal Hossain for coming closer to the BNP despite his past criticism of the opposition party and said his left party would not be a party to the polarised politics, tilting towards either the Awami League or the BNP.
Kamal Hossain, president of Gano Forum president, along with Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh chief AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury, held a rally in the city on 22 September, joined by the BNP leaders and some civil society leaders. The rally called for a greater national unity to launch movement for free, fair and participatory elections in the country.
Selim alleged that Kamal Hossain had also pledged in 2006 to join 'Satan' to end dominance of 'Hawa Bhaban', widely alleged as alternative power house during the BNP regime between 2001-2006.
“We have been witnessing for tge past three decades that after one evil regime there comes another. We have to break away from this evil cycle,” the CPB leader insisted, rejecting the mode of governance even during the years of elected regimes since 1991.
Selim observed that both the AL and the BNP have made election process a farce. He mentioned that the left parties would continue their movement for ensuring free, fair and credible elections in the country.
The left parties are, however, yet to decide on whether to join the general electionst Selim said they will field candidates in all 300 constituencies, if they take part in elections.
CPB general secretary Md Shah Alam alleged that the Awami League government is creating a situation for holding yet another lopsided general elections like that of the one-sided ballot in 2014, boycotted by all major opposition parties including theirs.
Selim further alleged that at the Unity rally on 22 September, the Dhaka unit general secretary of Hefazat-e-Islam, was present. Hefazat, a coalition of Quawmi madrasa-based organisations, was blamed for arson at CPB office during Hafazat’s demonstration in February 2013.
CPB presidium member Aniruddha Das and assistant general secretary Kazi Sajjad Zahir Chandan were also present at the press conference.