KSJL president Abdul Kader Siddiqui came up with the announcement at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club.
He said his party has decided to leave Oikyafront ‘as the alliance has become inactive after the 11th parliamentary election.
“There’s no visible existence of Jatiya Oikyafront after the national election. It has also failed to focus on any national problem,” he said.
Kader also said their party will now start a new journey with fresh vigour to stand beside people during their all problems forgetting the thought for finding out the existence of the Oikyafront.
Replying to a question, he said KSJL is pulling out from the Oikyafront since the alliance has no visible activities now.
On October 13, BNP, Gonoforum, Nagorik Oikya, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and Jatiya Oikya Prokriya floated an anti-government alliance, Jatiya Oikyafront, led by Kamal Hossain ahead of the 11th parliamentary election. KSJL formally joined Jatiya Oikyafront on November 5, 2018 aiming to ensure an acceptable national election in the country.
The alliance took part in the December-30 national election using BNP’s election symbol, the Sheaf of Paddy, but only got eight seats--BNP six and Gonoforum two.
Asked who are responsible for Oikyafront being dysfunctional, Kader Siddiqui said, “All the leaders of Oikyafront, including me, are more or less responsible for it.”
He, however, said he may work with Oikyafront leaders in the future for establishing a pure democracy in the country. “We’ll try to work with all the democracy-loving and like-mined parties of the country.”
The KSJL president said though the election was held under the Oikyafront, Dr Kamal was not given leadership to finalise the nomination of the alliance candidates. “The nomination was given from former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office under the leadership of BNP. It was against the principle of formation of the Oikyafront.”
He said it was the right decision of turning down the national election and demanding a fresh election.
Kader criticised Gonoforum and BNP MPs-elect for taking oath backing off from the alliance’s decision.
He also alleged that Oikyafront could not stand beside people on different national issues, including Feni’s Nusrat murder, Barguna’s Rifar murder and farmer’s deprivation of fair price of paddy.
Earlier on May 9, Kader Siddiqui threatened to quit the Oikyafront by a month if inconsistencies were not removed from the alliance.
On June 10, a steering committee of the alliance sat in a meeting to resolve the problem, but it ended without any solution only urging the KSJL president to take more time.