Nominations not based on alliance, but on party: Dr Kamal

Nominations are not being given based on alliance but based on political parties, Jatiya Oikyafront leader Dr Kamal Hossain said today.

The alliance partners could not reach any decision on seat-sharing issues and that is why the decision to nominate candidates based on political parties was taken, said Dr Kamal, also the president of Gonoforum.

He was while addressing media after a meeting with Jatiya Oikyafront leaders at his Baily Road residence this morning.  

It will be later decided which candidates will contest under the banner of Oikyafront and under which constituency, Dr Kamal said.  

The leaders sat around 10:00am for finalising candidates for the 11th parliamentary election to be held on December 30. 

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Gonoforum General Secretary Mustafa Mohsin Montu were present, among others, at the meeting.

When was the Jatiya Oikyafront formed?

The Jatiya Oikyafront was formally launched on October 13, 2018 after weeks of talks and intense negotiations.

The alliance was formed just months before the national elections.

Who are in the Oikyafront?

BNP and several other political parties formed the alliance-- Jatiya Oikyafront.

The alliance, which includes Dr Kamal Hossain-led Jatiya Oikya Prokriya, during its launching unveiled an 11-point goal and promised to bring sweeping reforms in governance system if voted to power.

The alliance will operate under a joint leadership, sources said, but gave few details.

The two other partners in the alliance are Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) led by ASM Abdur Rab and Nagorik Oikya led by Mahmudur Rahman Manna, a former Awami League leader.

Both the JSD and Nagorik Oikya are components of Juktofront, which was formed last year under the leadership of former president Prof Badruddoza Chowdhury, who is also president of Bikalpadhara Bangladesh (BDB). 

What are their goals and demands?

The 11-point goal announced by the alliance includes ensuring checks and balances in the state power, decentralisation of administration, freeing MPs from the stringent restrictions imposed on them under article 70 of the constitution, formation of a constitutional commission to make appointments to all constitutional and other important posts and full independence of the judiciary.

The alliance also announced a seven-point demand, including the one for holding the next parliamentary election under a nonpartisan government, dissolution of parliament before the polls and recasting the Election Commission.