Gonoforum to take part in collective movement: Montu

Gonoforum, led by Mostafa Mohsin Montu, on Monday announced to join the street programmes of the collective movement to oust the current government.

“We’ll inform you (the media) about the venue of the sit-in programme to be held on January 11.  We (Gonoforum) are joining the ongoing collective  movement from today (Monday),” said party president Mostafa Mohsin Montu.

He called upon people from all walks of life regardless of party affiliation to participate in the collective  movement.

Montu made the remarks while addressing a press briefing after a meeting with the leaders of BNP's Liaison Committee formed for the coordination of the collective  movement, reports UNB.

A three-member BNP delegation, led by Party Standing Committee member Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, joined the meeting with the Gonoforum leaders at the letter’s Arambagh office and discussed the current political situation and the strategy of the collective movement.

The other BNP delegation members included party Vice Chairman Barkat Ullah Bulu and Joint Secretary General Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Tuku said Gonoforum will take part in the programmes of the movement with other parties.

He called upon the political parties and the country’s people who want a change in the government to take to the streets unitedly. “Let's oust the current government to pave a way for holding a fair election under a non-partisan government.”

As part of the  collective  movement, BNP and 32 other parties observed a mass procession programme across the country on December 24 and in Dhaka and Rangpur on December 30.  But Gonoforum did not take part in those programmes.

Asked why Gonoforum did not join the mass procession programme on December 30, Montu said they could not take the final decision on it as some of the party leaders were sick at that time. “That is not an issue.  We had full support for that programme.”

Replying to a question whether Gonoforum considers the  collective  movement as a movement to overthrow the government, he said, "Of course.  We want a free and fair and impartial election and we need a non-partisan government to conduct such polls.”

Gonoforum General Secretary of the party Subrata Chowdhury, Presidium members Prof Abu Sayeed, Jaglul Haider Afrik, Mohiuddin Abdul Quader and Abdul Hasib Chowdhury were, among others, present at the meeting.