Main opposition alliance Jatiya Oikyafront leaders today asserted that they would not give in to any obstacles on the polling day.

“Your one vote will ensure Khaleda Zia’s release. Keep this in mind and go to vote, along with your neighbours on voting day,” Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, a top leader of Oikyafront, said.

Fakhrul, also secretary general of the BNP, also urged the voters not to leave the polling centres before the vote counting ends.

He was speaking at the rally of Oikyafront in Narayanganj. In the starting, the leaders introduced the candidate for Narayanganj-5 constituency SM Akram and sought vote for him.

Urging all to keep alert on vote rigging, Fakhrul said: “They are expert on vote stealing. We have heard that the ballot boxes would be stuffed the night before the election. So, you have to guard the polling stations from night before the election day.”

Urging the law enforcers and administration to carry out their duties neutrally, Fakhrul said: “You are oath-bound to work neutrally. The nation expects that you will be the people and protect peoples’ interests.”

Terming the Election Commission “helpless”, he said: “I want to urge the Election Commission to carry out their constitutional responsibility”.

“Take steps to hold a free and fair election otherwise step down. People of the country will not accept any unjust,” he said.

"We must work together with the new generation, prioritise the aspirations of the people to build a democratic, just, and equitable Bangladesh."

— Dr Kamal Hossain

Constitutional reforms should be done after taking people's opinions into account, said Dr Kamal Hossain, one of the framers of the constitution.

"No individual should change it [constitution] with the stroke of a pen," he said at a discussion yesterday.

"If a person, even if it is the president, feels that something is wrong, it would not be appropriate for them to change it single-handedly. They should proceed with amending the constitution only when a strong consensus or majority opinion has been established," Dr Kamal said.

Bangladesh Democratic Lawyers' Association organised the event to mark the day the constitution was adopted 52 years ago.

"We noticed that 15 to 16 amendments were made to the constitution. It was done from the realisation that it is made by human beings. The provision which was deemed right 10 years ago might create problems in a changed scenario. Then the constitution can be amended. But the people have to be taken on board to do that.

Dr Kamal, also the emeritus president of Gono Forum, said the reforms should be done with an aim to eliminate all forms of discrimination.

"We must work together with the new generation, prioritise the aspirations of the people to build a democratic, just, and equitable Bangladesh. Our commitment is to ensure a nation free from discrimination, where no one faces inequality based on gender, religion, ethnicity, political beliefs, or any other identity. All constitutional reforms must be made with this objective in mind."

He said people must remain vigilant about how the constitution is being interpreted, whether it is being interpreted correctly or misinterpreted.

The constitution is a document that is interpreted by people. Even the court interprets it, and the court can also make mistakes. The chief justice himself may err, he said.

Addressing the event, eminent jurist Shahdeen Malik criticised frequent changes in the form of the government.

"We formed 11 different types of governments in 52 years. Problems may arise in running a state, but the way we changed the form of the government is like changing a car because a tyre got punctured," he said.

Malik said it was a manifestation of the nation's immaturity regarding state operations.

"If we face any issue, we seek a solution only by changing the form of government. No one in the world does that, but it has become ingrained in us. And we think it is the only solution," he said.

Eminent historian Prof Syed Anwar Hossain said the current government has no right to amend the constitution since it was not elected. This government can only recommend amendments that have to be made by an elected government.

"There is no provision for an interim government in the constitution. We got an unelected government after ousting the autocratic regime."

The court validated the current government under the doctrine of necessity.

Prof Anwar alleged that although the supreme court is the custodian of the constitution, it failed to play its role. "The court followed the government's order and has been doing so."

He opined that prime ministers should not serve more than two terms.

Speaking at the programme, Supreme Court Bar Association President AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon said the debate over whether to amend the constitution or write a new one was dividing the nation.

"If any amendment is made or the constitution is rewritten, who will approve it? The last parliament? That's not possible. The future parliament? What if it does not approve it? So, it'll only widen the split," he said.

He also said a consensus should be reached through discussions with political parties that the amendments will be made when they are voted to power.

Among others, Bangladesh Democratic Lawyers' Association President Subrata Chowdhury, General Secretary Zahidul Bari, senior lawyer Mohiuddin Abdul Kader, and SMA Sabur spoke at the programme.

Raising alarm at the growing incidents of rape in the country, Jatiya Oikyafront convener Dr Kamal Hossain today urged people to forge a united movement to protect women's rights and establish the rule of law.

"Unwanted incidents are taking place in the country one after another. The rape of women has turned epidemic. The deterioration in law and order is evident here," he said while talking to reporters after a meeting of the alliance at his Motijheel chamber.

Dr Kamal, also Ganofourm president, further said, "We think the movement has to be strengthened and we've to take to the street actively so that people's rights are protected and the rule of law is established. It's now essential."

Oikyafront leader ASM Abdur Rob said they will hold a mass gathering at Shahbagh intersection in the city on April 30 in protest against the repression of women and rape.

 

Jatiya Oikyafront will launch its road march from Tongi tomorrow, to garner public support ahead of the election on December 30.

The march will begin from a rally at Sharifuddin Government Academy ground, Syrul Kabir Khan, a staff of BNP chairperson’s press wing, said.

The rally will end in Sherpur and make stops across several points on the road through Gazipur and Mymensingh, he told The Daily Star this evening.

Dr Kamal Hossain and other key leaders are supposed to attend the programme.

The announcement of the road march came from yesterday’s meeting of the alliance.

WHAT IS JATIYA OIKYAFRONT?

The Jatiya Oikyafront is an alliance of the BNP, Dr Kamal Hossain-led Jatiya Oikya Prokriya, ASM Abdur Rob’s Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, and Mahmudur Rahman Manna’s Nagorik Oikya.

The Oikyafront was formed on October 13 with the demands of a national election under a neutral government after dissolution of parliament and release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail.

WHAT ARE OIKYAFRONT’S AGENDAS?

Formed with major political oppositions to ruling alliance, the Oikyafront includes ruling Awami League’s arch opposition BNP.

Currently, they are campaigning with a seven-point charter including freedom for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and election under a nonpartisan government.

WHAT ARE OIKYAFRONT’S 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 reconstitution of the Election Commission.