No sane person can hold ballot like 30 Dec election, claims Kamal

Claiming that no sane person can hold a 'so-called' and 'farcical' election like that of the 30 December, Jatiya Oikya Front convener Kamal Hossain has called for a national dialogue to find ways for arranging the polls as per the constitution, reports UNB.

"National dialogue is a good way.... let's sit (for dialogue) without creating any crisis. Let's take the decision through this dialogue how to form an elected government and a parliament through holding the election as per the constitution," he said on Thursday.

Kamal, also Gano Forum president, further said, "A sane person cannot play such a game staged with the country's 170 million people on 30 December. This can't be done unless one is mentally imbalanced."

He was addressing a discussion organised by his party at Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) marking the Homecoming Day of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The Jatiya Oikya Front leader also claimed that they had to see a 'farce' on 30 December in the name of an election, saying, "It won't bring any legality and stability. This can in no way be accepted. It's not right legally and constitutionally."

He questioned whether anyone can call the 30-December election a free and fair one. "It's regrettable what happened in the name of election even after the 48 years (of the liberation war). It's not supposed to happen."

Kamal, also the convener of the Jatiya Oikya Front, said the election was held on the night of 29 December instead of 30 December. "Why did they do that? I would like to ask them the reason behind doing such unusual acts. Is it a game? Is it fair to play a game with the country's 170 million people?"

He said no one should play such a game with the state and its people. "We all are saying the election was not held as per the laws and the constitution. No one is above the constitution. Everyone must obey the constitution."

Stating that people are the owner of the country, the Gano Forum chief said it is not possible to elect people's representatives without a fair and acceptable election. "Why're they staging a farce in people's name?"

Kamal also said the 30-December election is a good example of political tricks. "I would like to urge, you please refrain from resorting to political tricks, and do everything as per the constitution through talks. There can be no alternative to that."

He also recalled various events and incidents associated with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujiubur Rahman during the 1971 liberation war and his homecoming on 10 January, 1972.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) president ASM Abdur Rob, Gano Forum executive president Subrata Chowdhury, general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu, ex-information minister Abu Sayeed, among others, spoke at the programme.