Jatiya Oikyafront Convener Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday said it was a mistake on the part of his party Gonoforum to have joined the December 30 polls with Jamaat-e-Islami leaders contesting under the alliance banner.

He also said they would put pressure on the BNP to sever its ties with Jamaat in order to keep the unity of the Oikyafront intact and strong. 

Dr Kamal made the statements following a meeting of his party's central committee at its office in the capital's Arambagh.

"I've already publicly said that I was not aware of Jamaat's participation in the election [under the banner of the Oikyafront]. When I gave consent [to contesting the polls under the alliance's banner], I was not informed about Jamaat. I think you can call it a mistake," he told journalists.

Around 70 leaders from the Gonoforum's central committee participated in its first meeting after the 11th parliamentary polls. It began at 10:00am and concluded around 3:45pm.

The meeting was organised to discuss the party's next course of action following the election.

The Awami League-led grand alliance won the polls bagging 288 out of the 299 seats. The election to the remaining seat of Gaibandha-3 will be held on January 27.

The Jatiya Oikyafront won eight seats, including six for the BNP and two for the Gonoforum.

Twenty-two Jamaat leaders contested the election with the “sheaf of paddy”, the BNP's electoral symbol.

One of the framers of the country's constitution, Dr Kamal had earlier been criticised for allowing Jamaat leaders to take part in the polls under Oikyafront's banner.

Jamaat-e-Islami had opposed the country's 1971 Liberation War and its top leaders were involved in crimes against humanity.

The BNP has claimed that whoever contested the election with the “sheaf of paddy” symbol were candidates of their party, not of Jamaat's.

The AL said that one of the reasons for the Oikyafront and the BNP's defeat in election with a margin so huge was that they allowed Jamaat leaders to participate in it.

Jatiya Oikyafront rejected the election results, alleging widespread polls irregularities and rigging. They also demanded fresh polls following a national dialogue with all stakeholders.

The AL rejected the demand.

After Gonoforum's meeting, Dr Kamal told reporters that he never did politics along with Jamaat and would not do so in the future either.

"My position is clear. We never did politics along with Jamaat nor [are we] thinking of doing so in the future. Whatever you've said about our politics involving Jamaat, we were not aware of it," he said.

When asked what the Gonoforum's position would be if the BNP did not sever its ties with the Jamaat, he said, “We will talk about it if it happens.”

Gonoforum General Secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu said their party forged the alliance with the BNP, not with the 20-party or the Jamaat. 

He said, “We raised our objection when the 22 Jamaat leaders were nominated to contest the election with the 'sheaf of paddy'. The BNP's secretary general told us they [the Jamaat leaders] were nominated as BNP candidates.”

Asked whether his party's two elected MPs would take oath, Montu said they would discuss it and decide later.

At the meeting, he said their leaders discussed the post-election atmosphere and worked out their party's future course of action.

Montu said their leaders strongly believe that to wage a democratic movement in the days to come and to “restore democracy”, there was no other alternative to national unity.

Dr Kamal said there was no disagreement among the people regarding the formation of the parliament through a fair and acceptable election.

“No one apart from the ruling party spokesmen are saying that a fair election was held on December 30, while there is no scope for saying it. I don't think it's a big deal to resolve such a problem. The government should hold a fair election within two to three months, enabling everyone to cast votes in the interest of the country and the constitution.

“People should be given a chance so that they can cast their votes as per their will. If you get the majority of the votes in a fair election, it'll be meaningful. If a government is formed through a fair and credible election, it will be easier for it to discharge its duties properly.”

Speaking to The Daily Star, several Gonoforum leaders who were present at the meeting said they discussed the strengthening of the Oikyafront in such a manner that no one can “malign its reputation because of the Jamaat and the BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.”

The meeting also decided to hold its central council on March 23 and 24.

Gonoforum today rejected the proposed national budget for 2019-20 fiscal terming it as frustrating and anti-people.

The government has termed the budget as a smart one, but it is nothing but blatant chic, Gonoforum came up with the post-budget reaction in a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka.  

There is no clear indication in the budget to root out poverty, inequity and unemployment problem from the country, it said.

The budget will favour the benefit of the powerful business community and vested political quarter ignoring the overall interest of the common people, the party said.

Speaking at the press conference, Gonoforum President Kamal Hossain rejected the proposed budget saying that it has ignored the interest of the common people in many ways.   

Gonoforum and Jatiya Oikyafront will discuss in their party forums meeting whether they will go for any programme protesting the national budget, Kamal also an eminent jurist, told a questioner.

Gonoforum General Secretary Reza Kibria, said the negative impact will be created in the economy due to the budget as the country's financial setback has not been addressed in it appropriately.

The government has become hard over the interest of the farmers while it has ensured the satisfaction of loan defaulters, he said in the party's formal reaction.

Claiming that allocation in the health and education sector is inadequate, Reza Kibria called upon the government to reduce budgetary allocation in the unproductive sectors.

He said the proposed budget is the outcome of shortsightedness where there is no initiatives to overcome the financial setback.

"A group of people is making money and plundering it abroad and the budget will favour their benefits," the Gonoforum leader said.

Describing the government as unelected, he said the citizen's wills and expectation are not reflected in the budget and it has not been done to meet people's needs.

No accountability in proposed budget: Ganosamhati Andolon

Ganosamhati Andolon today termed the proposed budget for the next fiscal year 2019-20 as "beyond accountability".

"There is no accountability in the proposed budget as the government has once again kept the scope for whitening black money," Ganosamhati Andolon said in its post-budget reaction.

The government has not taken any initiative to recover the loan from defaulters and bring them (defaulters) to book in the budget, the party said.

Abul Hasan Rubel, executive coordinator (acting) of the party, read out the keynote paper at a post-budget press conference at the party office in Dhaka.

He the government is accelerating tax pressure on general people while the people (loan defaulters) were given a huge exemption.

Ganosamhati Andolon also slammed the government saying that good governance in the banking sector is absent.

On Thursday, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal presented Tk 523,190 crore budget for the fiscal year of 2019-20. The new budget is 18.1 per cent of GDP.

Total allocation for operating and other expenditures is Tk 320,469 crore, and allocation for the annual development programme is Tk 202,721 crore.

Gonoforum's another MP-elect Mokabbir Khan (Sylhet-2) is going to be sworn in tomorrow, following the footstep of party MP Sultan Mohammad Mansur.

In response to a letter sent by Mokabbir to Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury today, an arrangement has been made to administrate oath to him at 12:00pm on Tuesday at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

Gonoforum central executive committee member Maj (retd) Afsary Ameen Ahmed carried the letter to parliament around 4:40pm.

In the letter sent in a letterhead of Gono Forum, the MP-elect said, "Me and my party has decided to take oath either on April 2 or 3."

Talking to UNB, Mokabbir said he sent the letter as per the decision of their party's presidium members. "The party leaders and its president Dr Kamal Hossain are aware of it."

Replying to a question, he also said Dr Kamal gave him the green signal to take oath. "Besides, the people of my constituency also requested me to be sworn in."

On March 7, Sultan Mohammad Mansur (Moulvibazar-2) took oath as a member of the 11th Parliament.

Earlier on March 3, two Gonoforum MPs-elect sent separate letters to the Speaker requesting her to arrange their oath-taking ceremony on historic March 7.

However, Mokabbir Khan did not take oath on that day.

BNP along with Gonoforum and some other parties joined the December-30 election in alliance under the banner of Jatiya Oikyafront. BNP bagged six seats while Gonoforum two in the election.

The alliance turned down the election results bringing the allegation of 'massive vote robbery' and decided not to join parliament.

Gonoforum expelled Sultan Mansur hours after he had joined parliament.

Krishak Sramik Janata League has walked out of Jatiya Oikyafront alleging that the alliance failed to wage movement against the government.

The party President Kader Siddique made the announcement at a press conference in the capital Dhaka this morning.

Kader blamed the Oikyafront leaders for their inactive role and failure to wage movement against the government.

The Oikyafront, which was formed before the last parliamentary election, could not play any role in waging anti-government movement for gas price hike and such other current issues, he said.

However, he vowed to carry out movement through forming a new platform for establishing the people’s right to vote.

The Jatiya Oikyafront is an alliance of BNP, Gonoforum, Nagorik Oikya, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rab) and some other political parties.

There were no polling agents of main opposition parties anywhere throughout Dhaka. The Daily Star went about several constituencies in the capital, but could only find polling agents of Awami League everywhere wearing the badge of the ‘boat’.

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The Daily Star visited Kakoli High School, Dhaka City College, Teachers’ Training College, Dhaka College, University Laboratory School and College, Dhanmondi Government Boys School and College, New Model School and College voting centres.

While plenty of ‘boat’ supporters were seen displaying badges, only the centre at Dhaka City College, where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina cast her vote, had one or two polling agents of ‘Tiger’ and ‘hand fan’ there.

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The Daily Star visited Mohammadpur Government Primary School, Mohammadpur Girls High School, Rayerbazar Community Centre, Shyamoli Ideal Technical Institue, and Primrose Kindergarden polling stations in the constituency which is witnessing electronic voting for the first time.

There too, no opposition polling agents could be seen anywhere. However, ruling party supporters and polling agents were found roaming around aplenty.

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The Daily Star visited Ispahani School, Viquarunnisa Noon School, and Tejgaon Govt Girls High School voting centres. No polling agents other than those from the ruling Awami League could be seen there in the morning.

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The Daily Star visited five polling centres including Rashid Ideal High School, Al Quran Academy, and Bangabndhu College to find only one polling agent of the ‘sheaf of paddy’ who did not seem very convincing.

Shafiqur Rahman, who claims to have been driven out of Bangabandhu College, alleged that false BNP polling agents were filled in Shahidbagh Girls School. "I was supposed to provide polling agents there. But this morning, it was already filled."