The ruling Awami League is not bothered about Dr Kamal Hossain's efforts to forge a greater national unity demanding free and fair polls, but it is keeping a close eye on the process.

The BNP, on the other hand, is upbeat as the party thinks it is possible to bring all the opposition forces under a common platform and mount pressure on the government to hold a credible general election.

Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain and Bikalpadhara Bangladesh President Prof AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury at a citizens' rally on Saturday demanded formation of a polls-time neutral government through talks with political parties. 

Several top leaders of the BNP and its allies shared the stage with the two along with representatives of some smaller parties and civil society. 

Dr Kamal-led Jatiya Oikya Prokriya issued an ultimatum from the meeting for their three-point demand to be met by September 30, and announced a plan to hold rallies across the country from October 1.  

The other two demands are effective steps for reconstituting the Election Commission and dissolution of parliament before the announcement of the election schedule.

AL leaders say Dr Kamal and B Chowdhury will get media coverage but not public support.

Mahbubul Alam Hanif, joint general secretary of the AL, told this newspaper, “We are not worried about the ultimatum issued by Dr Kamal and B Chowdhury. They do not have any public support. People too are not bothered about their ultimatum as they are alienated from the masses.”

Also yesterday, Information Minister and JSD chief Hasanul Haq Inu at a programme in Kushtia alleged that Dr Kamal has been used to cover up the “heinous crimes” of BNP and Jamaat.

IT'LL 'TAKE SHAPE GRADUALLY'  

According to BNP insiders, the party will come up this week with a proposal over the process for a greater national unity.

As all the opposition leaders were present at the rally and a unity process began, it will mount pressure on the government to accept the demand for a non-partisan interim administration, they added.

Before the January 5, 2014 elections, the movement for a neutral polls-time administration was led by the BNP-led 20-party alliance, but this time almost all the political parties outside the government have voiced the demand.

“All the leaders came under a single platform. Now we will come up with our next course of action. We will finalise the programmes soon,” Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, BNP's standing committee member, told The Daily Star.

The movement will “take shape gradually” and the government will be compelled to accept the demand, he added.

Organised by the Jatiya Oikya Prokriya, the rally was also joined by leaders of nine other components of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, Juktofront led by B Chowdhury, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal led by ASM Abdur Rab, Nagorik Oikya led by Mahmudur Rahman Manna and Ganosamhati Andolon.

This was the first time since the 2014 general election that they were seen together on one stage. The development came three months before the next parliamentary polls.

About the rally, Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury told this paper, “This is a very positive step and the BNP sees it positively. This will lead to a    qualitative change in the country's politics.”

But Rashed Khan Menon, social welfare minister and chief of the Workers Party of Bangladesh, alleged that the masterminds of army-backed caretaker government got united to foil the election.

At a programme in Barisal, he said leaders of the unity process are trying to rehabilitate the corrupt politicians and war criminals in the country's politics.