Gonoforum today announced its new central committee with Dr Kamal Hossain as its president and Reza Kibria general secretary.

Subrata Chowdhury, executive president of the party, announced the 111-member committee at a press conference at National Press Club today.

Mokabbir Khan, who was served a show cause for taking oath as lawmaker of Sylhet-2, has been included as a presidium member of the party.

Mostafa Mohsin Montu, previous secretary of Gonoforum and the other MP-elect who took oath, is now the number one central committee member.

Reappointed as president, Kamal Hossain vowed to continue movement to “restore democracy” in the country during his impromptu speech.

Gono Forum was with BNP in the greater opposing alliance Jatiya Oikyafront that took part in the December 30 national election. The alliance secured eight seats among 300.

Six BNP leaders including its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and two leaders from Gono Forum won the election.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's petitions seeking the Supreme Court's permission to contest the December 30 polls may not be heard before the election, as the court, which is now on annual vacation, will reopen on January 2.

Besides, the chamber judge of the Appellate Division is scheduled to sit on the bench to deal with urgent cases on December 31.

In such a situation, lawyers cannot move Khaleda's three petitions before the SC until Election Day. As a result, the BNP chief cannot run for the polls, Khaleda's lawyers told The Daily Star yesterday, seeking anonymity.

Khaleda will not be benefited if the petitions are moved before the SC after the election, one of the three lawyers said.

As the SC is yet to hear Khaleda's petitions that seek stay on the High Court orders, the HC orders disqualifying her for contesting the polls are now in force, he added.

Advocate AJ Mohammad Ali, principal lawyer for Khaleda's case, refused to make any comment regarding this when The Daily Star contacted him over phone.

On Monday, Khaleda filed the three petitions to the SC seeking a stay on the HC orders on her nomination papers' cancellations.

In the petitions, Khaleda prayed to the apex court to direct the Election Commission to accept her nomination papers, to allow her to contest the December 30 polls, and to allocate the “sheaf of paddy” as her election symbol.

The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan passed the order saying if a person was convicted and sentenced to more than two years in prison for moral turpitude, they were not eligible to participate in polls for five years after serving jail term.

On December 11, the HC bench of Justice Refaat and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir Lytton passed split orders on the three petitions. The next day, the chief justice assigned the bench of Justice Hassan to dispose them.

Khaleda was sent to jail on February 8 after a special court in Dhaka sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. On October 29, she was sentenced in another corruption case, bringing her total jail term up to 10 years.

Jatiya Oikyafront today announced to hold a rally in Dhaka on Monday protesting “vote rigging” in the 11th parliamentary election held on December 30, 2018.

Oikyafront leader and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President ASM Abdur Rab came up with the announcement at a press conference at Dr Kamal Hossain’s chamber in Motijheel of Dhaka.

Earlier, Jatiya Oikyafront, led by Dr Kamal Hossain, held an emergency meeting at his office to work out the alliance’s action programmes to mark the 1st anniversary of the December 30 national polls.

The rally will be held in front of the National Press Club around 2:00pm on the day, Rab said.

Responding to a query, he added, “No permission. Why the permission is needed to hold rally in front of the press club?”

Oikyafront leader Mahmudur Rahman Manna, responding to a query, said vote rigging took place on the night on December 29 and they will hold the protest rally on that day.

“We will go for more two days programme if any barrier comes from any corner,” Manna said at the press conference.

Addressing the press conference, Kamal said they would strengthen their unity to ensure people’s voting rights and to make the country’s elections meaningful.

Jatiya Oikyafront Convener Dr Kamal Hossain left for Singapore last night for treatment.

The 81-year-old eminent jurist, along with his wife Hamida Hossain, left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a Singapore Airlines flight at 10:30pm, Gonoforum central committee member Rafiqul Islam Pothik confirmed to The Daily Star. 

He said Dr Kamal, also the president of Gonoforum, might go to Thailand from Singapore for medical purposes.

The Oikyafront chief is likely to return home on January 27, said Gonoforum General Secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu.