Jatiya Oikya Prokriya Convener Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday said the people in power did not want a greater national unity of people for holding of a free, fair and inclusive election under a nonpartisan government.

“It is very urgent to forge a greater national unity among people. But it will be hard to achieve our target as the people in power are organised and have black money. They will not allow you and me to do so [forging a national unity],” he said at a discussion with professionals.

The veteran lawyer, also president of Gonoforum, hoped there would be a popular uprising against the “undemocratic” government.

Jatiya Oikya Prokriya organised the discussion titled “Essentiality of a polls-time nonpartisan government” at the city's Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh.

Dr Kamal said Oikya Prokriya would have to organise the people to achieve its target of forging a national unity.

“We will have to forge a national unity like the one we had forged in 1971 to snatch the country's independence.”

He said Awami League leaders before the January 5, 2014, national election had said they were holding the polls to ensure continuation of constitutional rule. They had also pledged to hold another election following discussion with all the stakeholders, but they forgot all about it, he added.

The Gonoforum chief alleged that the government was destroying the country in the name of a democratic rule.

He urged all to visit every villages and wards to make people understand that Jatiya Oikya Prokriya's aim was to ensure welfare of the people.

Speaking at the programme, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Zainul Abedin blasted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her recent comment that Dr Kamal and former president Badruddoza Chowdhury joined forces with corrupt people to fight corruption.

BNP Vice Chairman and former FBCCI president Abdul Awal Mintoo said an anarchic situation was prevailing in the country in the name of democracy.

Prof CR Abrar of Dhaka University said why the government was afraid of holding a free and fair election if it thought that it carried out a lot of development works.

Former caretaker government adviser Mainul Hosein said it was very unfortunate that those who came to power through a “voter-less election” and now plundering money was terming others corrupt and thief.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President ASM Abdur Rob, Prof Nurul Amin Bepari of DU, Gano Shasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, SCBA Secretary AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, former vice president of Dhaka University Central Students Union Sultan Mohammad Munsur Ahmed, senior journalist Mahfuz Ullah, Gonoforum leaders Subrata Chowdhury and Mostafa Mohsin Montu, among others, spoke at the programme. They expressed solidarity with Dr Kamal for forging a national unity.

Mentioning that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman were convicted in graft cases, the prime minister on Monday said Dr Kamal and Badruddoza Chowdhury joined forces with corrupt people to fight corruption.

She was addressing a civic reception accorded to her by the US Awami League in New York's Hilton Hotel.