Dhaka, Apr 25 (UNB) – The fifth national council of Gonoforum is going to be held in the capital on Friday as part of the party’s move to strengthen its organisational capacity.

The council is scheduled to begin at Mohanagar Natya Mancha at 10am.

“Our president Dr Kamal Hossain will inaugurate the council by hoisting the national and Gonoforum flags and preside over the council session,” said party training affairs secretary Rafiqul Islam Pathik.

He said over 1,000 party delegates from across the country will join the event. “The main council session will be held after lunch.”

“It’s our special council and we’re arranging it aiming to revitaliae our party and enhance its organisational capacity,” Pathik said.

He said their party’s new executive committee will be formed through the council.

Pathik said the council will end in the evening through the concluding speech by Dr Kamal Hossain.

The last council of Gonoforum was held on December 10, 2011.
 

Dhaka, Apr 25 (UNB) – BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said their party will take prompt action against Zahidur Rahman Zahid for committing an organisational offence by taking oath as an MP violating its decision.

“Our party’s decision is not to take oath by our party MPs-elect. It’ll be considered as an organisational offence if anyone is sworn in breaching the decision. Zahidur Rahman has committed such an offence,” he told UNB.

Fakhrul further said, “We’ll soon take organisational action against him (Zahid)."

He said there is no reason for their party to change its decision of not joining parliament.

Fakhrul, who is one of the BNP’s MPs-elects, said he will not take oath.

Earlier in the day, Zahidur Rahman of (Thakurgaon-3) took oath as a member of the 11th Parliament, violating his party decision.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury administered the swearing-in around 12:00 pm at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

Zaid was elected MP with BNP’s ticket in December-30 election. BNP along with Gonoforum and some other parties joined the election in alliance under the banner of Jatiya Oikyafront. BNP bagged six seats while Gonoforum two in the election.

The alliance turned down the election results bringing the allegation of 'massive vote robbery' and decided not to join parliament.

However, Gonoforum’s two MPs-elect Sultan Mohammad Mansur (Moulvibazar-2) and Mokabbir Khan (Sylhet-2) were sworn in on March 7 and April 2 respectively.

With Zahid’s oath taking, 295 MPs-elect out of 300 in the 11th parliamentary polls have so far been sworn in. The five other BNP MPs-elect must take oath by April 29 if they want to remain members of the current parliament.

Dhaka, Apr 25 (UNB) - BNP MP-elect Zahidur Rahman Zahid on Thursday said he took oath as an MP of the 11th parliament knowing that his party may expel him for violating its decision.

“I’ve taken oath going against the party decision knowing that it may expel me. I’ll remain with the party even if it expels me,” he said.

Talking to reporters after he was sworn in, the BNP MP said he will place the demand in parliament for Khaleda Zia’s release from jail.

Zaid was elected MP with BNP’s ticket from Thakurgaon-3 seat in December-30 election amid a serious debacle of BNP and its alliance Jatiya Oikyafront.

BNP along with Gonoforum and some other parties joined the election in alliance under the banner of Jatiya Oikyafront. BNP bagged six seats while Gonoforum two in the election.

The alliance turned down the election results bringing the allegation of 'massive vote robbery' and decided not to join parliament.

However, Gonoforum’s two MPs-elect Sultan Mohammad Mansur (Moulvibazar-2) and Mokabbir Khan (Sylhet-2) were sworn in on March 7 and April 2 respectively. 

Zahid said he defied the party decision to fulfill the hopes and expectations of people of his constituency who elected him MP. “I had waited for a long time. But the people of my constituency mounted huge pressure on me to take oath.”

He said he has been staying in the capital for nearly 15 days as the people of his constituency urged him to return after taking oath.

Zahid said he had contested elections thrice earlier from the seat with BNP’s ticket, but could not win as it was a stronghold of Awami League since the country’s independence. “For the first time BNP has won the seat.”

Replying to a question whether he talked to BNP leaders over taking oath, he said he contacted them and met them a few days back, but did not get their consent to be sworn in. “The party is still hell bent on its decision not to take oath.”

Asked what he will do if BNP expels him, Zahid said the party can take any decision. “I’m a devoted worker of the party. I’ve been involved with the party for nearly 38 years since my student life. So, I’ll be with it, no matter what decision it takes.”

Responding to another question, he said he wants to play a due role in parliament for the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail. “My leader (Khaleda) is an elderly woman who is now 73. I’ll make a request in parliament to free her for the sake of democracy. As an MP, it’s my first commitment.”

The BNP MPs also said he will urge the Prime Minister to withdraw the thousands of ‘false’ cases filed against their party leaders and activists.

With Zahid’s oath taking, 295 MPs-elect out of 300 in the 11th parliamentary polls have so far been sworn in.  The five other BNP MPs-elect must take oath by April 29 if they want to remain members of the current parliament.

Dhaka, Apr 25 (UNB) – BNP on Thursday said its Thakurgaon-3 MP elect Zahidur Rahman Zahid has become a 'mass enemy' by taking oath violating the party decision.

“Those who take oath defying the party decision, leaving its ideal and keeping its chairperson in jail, has no capability to remain with the nationalist force. They're mass enemies,” said BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy.

He came up with the remarks at a human chain programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club nearly an hour after  Zahidur was sown in.

The BNP leader said people will give a befitting reply to Zahid for breaching the party decision.

“Our party decision is that we won’t go to parliament and if anyone violates the party decision he can’t be considered as a party man,” said the BNP leader.

Bangladesh Mufassil Sangbadik Association arranged the human-chain programme demanding the release of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail.

Earlier, Zahidur Rahman of (Thakurgaon-3) took oath as a member of the 11th Parliament, violating his party decision

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury administered the swearing-in around 12:00 pm at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban while parliament senior secretary Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan conducted the oath-taking ceremony.

Gayeshwar said though Zahid claimed to have won the election with BNP’s ticket, no one won or got defeated in the December-30 election as people could not exercise their right to franchise. “Even five percent of Awami League leaders and activists couldn’t cast their votes in the election.”

He also said taking oath by Zahid matters little as he joined an ‘unelected’ parliament abandoning people. “We’re not afraid of it…even if the 300 MPs claim they’re elected, people will spit them.”

The BNP leader also warned Zahid of facing the consequences for deceiving people.

Gayeshwar criticised the government for what it said its failure to stop the growing incidents of repression on women and children.

He alleged that the government is controlling the media to hide the ‘misdeeds and corruption’ by ruling party people.

Under the circumstances, the BNP leader urged all to get united to free BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail to ‘restore’ democracy, press freedom and people’s all the basic rights.

Dhaka, Apr 25 (UNB) – BNP MP-elect Zahidur Rahman Zahid (Thakurgaon-3) took oath as a member of the 11th Parliament on Thursday, violating his party decision.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury administered the swearing-in around 12:00 pm at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban while parliament senior secretary Dr Zafar Ahmed Khan conducted the oath-taking ceremony.

With Zahidur's oath taking, 295 MPs-elect out of 300 in the 11th parliamentary polls have so far been sworn in.

Zahid was elected MP with BNP’s ticket from Thakurgaon-3 seat in the December-30 election.

BNP along with Gonoforum and some other parties joined the election in alliance under the banner of Jatiya Oikyafront. BNP bagged six seats while Gonoforum two in the election.

The alliance turned down the election results bringing the allegation of 'massive vote robbery' and decided not to join parliament.

However, Gonoforum’s two MPs-elect Sultan Mohammad Mansur (Moulvibazar-2) and Mokabbir Khan (Sylhet-2) were sworn in on March 7 and April 2 respectively.

In his instant reaction, Zahid said he took oath as the MP knowing that the party may expel him for violating its decision.

Talking to reporters after he was sworn in, the BNP MP said he will place the demand in parliament for Khaleda Zia’s release from jail.

Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy said Zahid has become a 'mass enemy' by taking oath violating the party decision.

Speaking at a human chain programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club nearly an hour after  Zahid was sown in, Gayeshwar said, “Those who take oath defying the party decision, leaving its ideal and keeping its chairperson in jail, has no capability to remain with the nationalist force. They're mass enemies.”

He also said people will give a befitting reply to Zahid for breaching the party decision.

“Our party decision is not to join parliament and if anyone violates the party decision he can’t be considered as a party man,” said the BNP leader.

Parliament sources said Zahid sent a letter to the Speaker in the morning requesting her to make an arrangement for administrating oath to him.

Contacted, BNP chairperson’s media wing member Sayrul Kabir Kahn said Zahid was sworn in breaching party decision. “He didn’t inform the party anything about taking oath.”

Now only five BNP MPs-elect are left to take oath. As per the constitution, they must be sworn in by April 29 if they want to remain members of the current parliament.