Gono Forum leaders’ decision to take oath is their personal choice: Mosharraf

BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain has described a decision by Gono Forum leaders Sultan Md Mansur Ahmed and Mukabbir Khan to take their seats in parliament as ‘personal’.

He made the remarks to the media after a visit to the grave of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman on Sunday.

The BNP and the Jatiya Oikya Front had announced they would boycott the 11th national parliamentary election on Dec 30 because of ‘ballot stuffing’ and announced their elected leaders would not take their seats.

But Sultan Md Mansur Ahmed and Mukabbir Khan, both of whom won seats in the election, have written to Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury seeking to take their oaths on Mar 7.

Asked for his response, Mosharraf said: “As all of you know, the eleventh parliamentary election was no election at all. The Jatiya Oikya Front has decided that those elected from the alliance will not go to parliament. This is our decision.”

“Now two members from the Gono Forum have announced they will take their oaths – this is a personal matter. I have no comment on the matter. As far as we know the Gono Forum and the Oikya Front have decided not to go to parliament and the BNP has also decided we will not sit in a parliament formed from a stolen election.”

Sultan Mansur had competed for the Moulvibazar-2 seat under the ‘paddy sheaf’ symbol. Asked whether any steps would be taken against them, Mosharraf said: “We have heard that they want to participate in parliament. When they do, we will act according to our party’s regulations and the Oikya Front’s decisions.”

Asked whether their decision to take parliamentary seats would cause divisions in the alliance, Mosharraf said: “I cannot say anything so soon. It is my firm belief that the Jatiya Oikya Front was formed with a large goal in mind. The BNP is the front’s largest party and its main one.”

Even if the two decide to sit as MPs, it will not affect the movement, he said.