Gono Forum president Dr. Kamal Hossain yesterday said people of the country were frustrated at the present political scenario, as there was no perceptible improvement in national life although they voted for a change through the last general election.

"People hoped that the politics of confrontation would give way to healthy politics and the rule of law would be established in the country. But they are frustrated as the state has taken a wrong path, prompting an outbreak of conflict and confrontation," Dr. Kamal told reporters in a press conference on the current political situation of the country.

People wanted a change, they voted for it, and wanted an end to terrorism. They wanted an end to extortion at bazaars, and launch and bus terminals by musclemen and their godfathers, and an end to robbery on the highway, he said.

He said they wanted an end to treating national resources like oil and gas or government land as if they were private property, or the awarding of major projects such as power plants or port facilities in a similar way.

They wanted to see an end to cheating in examinations and an end to violence in educational institutions. But the state has so far failed to ensure any of that, he added.

Expressing concern over the rise of terrorism and influence of black money, he said it was time to take a united stand against all such evils.

"Let's start a movement to unite the people as well as forge the unity of all professional and civil society groups," he said, urging people to build a united movement against terrorism, corruption, power abuse and anti-people activities.

He urged the people to join a mass movement to establish their right to power as they did during the Language Movement in 1952 and the Liberation Movement in 1971.

He said it was unfortunate that a nation pursuing democracy under a parliamentary system of government should have a non-functioning parliament.

"We fought and earned our independence for parliamentary democracy, and we had to pay a huge price for that," Dr. Kamal said.

Confrontational politics has been intensifying, parliament is not what people had hoped for a vibrant forum where people's representatives could be expected to debate on national politics, he said.

Dr. Kamal said the opposition stayed away from the last city corporation elections while voter turnout was also thin.

Referring to allegations of rigging and election of identified terrorists, he particularly cited the allegation of the orchestrated defeat of a candidate in Rajshahi City Corporation election through rigging and terrorism.

Replying to a question about the new summary trial law, Dr Kamal Hossain, who is one of the writers of the country's constitution, said his party was scrutinising the law in the light of the constitution and would give its reaction about it later. The law has been dubbed as a black law by the opposition.

The press conference organised at the conference room of Dhaka Reporter's Unity (DRU) was attended among others by Gono Forum leaders Saifuddin Ahmed Manik, Pankaj Bhattacharya, Advocate Zahirul Islam, Mofidul Islam and ATM Hakim.
© The Daily Star