Dr Kamal to lead 16-strong Oikya Front team to talks with Hasina

The Jatiya Oikya Front has finalised a list of 16 leaders who will take part in the talks with Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban.

Jatiya Oikya Front leaders met at their chief Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain's chamber at Motijheel in Dhaka on Tuesday to pick members of a delegation for talks with Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban on Thursday. Jatiya Oikya Front leaders met at their chief Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain's chamber at Motijheel in Dhaka on Tuesday to pick members of a delegation for talks with Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban on Thursday.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD President ASM Abdur Rab briefing the media about a Jatiya Oikya Front meeting on Tuesday. The Front leaders picked members of a delegation at the meeting for talks with Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban on Thursday. Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD President ASM Abdur Rab briefing the media about a Jatiya Oikya Front meeting on Tuesday. The Front leaders picked members of a delegation at the meeting for talks with Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban on Thursday.

Jatiya Oikya Front leader Jaglul Haider Afrik handing Awami League a list to Awami League Joint General Secretary Abdur Rahman on Tuesday. The list was of the Front leaders who will attend the talks with Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban on Thursday. Jatiya Oikya Front leader Jaglul Haider Afrik handing Awami League a list to Awami League Joint General Secretary Abdur Rahman on Tuesday. The list was of the Front leaders who will attend the talks with Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban on Thursday.

Jatiya Oikya Prokriya chief Dr Kamal Hossain briefs the media on a new anti-government alliance with the BNP at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Saturday. Jatiya Oikya Prokriya chief Dr Kamal Hossain briefs the media on a new anti-government alliance with the BNP at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Saturday.

The alliance picked up the leaders for the dialogue at a meeting in its chief Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain’s chamber in Dhaka’s Motijheel on Tuesday afternoon.

It received the ruling party’s formal invitation to the dialogue in the morning.

After the meeting of the Front’s Steering Committee, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD President ASM Abdur Rab said, “We’ve accepted the prime minister’s invitation. We will go to the Ganabhaban at 7pm on Thursday.”   

“Fifteen Oikya Front leaders will join the talks. Dr Kamal Hossain will lead us. He is not on the list of 15,” Rab added, without disclosing the names.

Gono Forum General Secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu was tasked with sending the list to Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader within the night.

Later in the night, Gono Forum leader Jaglul Haider Afrik went to Hasina’s Dhanmondi office and handed the list to Awami League Joint General Secretary Abdur Rahman. It was forwarded to Quader later.

Jatiya Oikya Front leader Jaglul Haider Afrik handing Awami League a list to Awami League Joint General Secretary Abdur Rahman on Tuesday. The list was of the Front leaders who will attend the talks with Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban on Thursday.

Dr Kamal will lead the Front delegation which includes Rab and Montu, according to the list.

Besides BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, four leaders of the party were included in the list.

They are BNP National Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Jamiruddin Sircar, and Mirza Abbas.

Zafrullah Chowdhury, a public health activist with political leanings to the BNP who has been active in the formation of the Front, Jatiya Oikya Prokriya Member Secretary ABM Mostafa Amin and member Sultan Mohammad Mansur Ahmed are on the list.

Nagorik Oikya Convenor Mahmudur Rahman Manna and Adviser SM Akram will be in the Front delegation.

The others on the list are JSD Vice-President Tania Rab and General Secretary Abdul Malek Ratan, and Gono Forum Executive President Subrata Chowdhury.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD President ASM Abdur Rab briefing the media about a Jatiya Oikya Front meeting on Tuesday. The Front leaders picked members of a delegation at the meeting for talks with Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina at the Ganabhaban on Thursday.

Earlier after the Front meeting, the JSD president said he has been appointed the spokesman for the alliance. “No-one else’s comments can be considered the Front’s,” he said.

Optimistic about the talks, Rab said, “The nation hopes a possibility will be created through the talks. Dialogues never fail.”

“We believe the process of talks is under way and it will continue through the talks with the prime minister,” he added.    

They will discuss their seven demands in the talks, he reiterated.

The demands include the release of jailed BNP chief Khaleda Zia, the dissolution of parliament ahead of the election and the formation of an impartial election-time government, which Awami League leaders have said are not possible under the current constitution.

Rab condemned the High Court verdict passed earlier in the day that raised Khaleda’s prison term to 10 years from five years for corruption in Zia Orphanage Trust.

“We believe this case is based on vengeance. How can I believe that a three-time prime minister would embezzle Tk 20 to 30 million when the people don’t believe it?” he asked. 

Besides Rab, Mirza Fakhrul, Khandaker Mosharraf, Moudud, Tania, Ratan, Montu, Subrata, Afrik, Manna, Nagorik Oikya’s Jahed-ur-Rahman, Sultan, Mostafa Amin, Nurul Huda Milu Chowdhury and Zafrullah attended the Front meeting chaired by Dr Kamal.