Split in Gonoforum ‘looms large’

Amid the speculation of a possible split in Gonoforum, a faction of leaders of the party is going to hold an extended meeting of its central committee in the capital on Saturday.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 10:00am at the Jatiya Press Club.

Gonoforum’s former general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu, executive presidents Dr Abu Sayeed and Subrata Chowdhury and other central leaders and presidents/conveners, general secretaries member secretaries, joint conveners and organising secretaries of different district units are expected to join the meeting, said a press release.

After the meeting, the leaders of the faction will arrange a press conference around 1pm, reports UNB.

However, party president Dr Kamal Hossain and general secretary Dr Reza Kibria have not been invited to join the meeting.

Talking to UNB, Subrata Chowdhury said they have been forced to take the step for holding the meeting without Dr Kamal and Reza Kibria as they did not get a positive response from them about it.

He said 71 leaders and their party’s central committee had a meeting on March 4 last from where they demanded holding an extended meeting and resolve the problems within the party.

They also sent a letter to Dr Kamal the same day.In response, Subrata said Reza Kibria served show-cause notices on 13 central leaders and later expelled four of them from the party.

“Dr Kamal Hossain also dissolved the central committee unfairly as our constitution doesn’t give the President any power to do so. Many unconstitutional decisions were taken by the party general secretary. We sat many times with Dr Kamal to resolve the problems, but he did nothing except giving some promises. We repeatedly urged him (Kamal) to hold the extended meeting, he only bought time, but didn’t take any step to do so,” he said.

Under the circumstances, he said they are going to hold the meeting to work out the party’s future course of action. “We’ll let Dr Kamal know our decisions. We’re not going to split the party or remove Dr Kamal Hossain from the party. He is our leader and we want him to honour our decisions.”

Dr Reza Kibria said the meeting in the mane of Gonoforum is illegal as the party president and general secretary did not convene it. “It’s not Gonoforum’s meeting, rather a meeting of some party leaders who are violating the party discipline. We issued a statement a few days back disapproving the meeting. Our party has no involvement with it.”

He said a group of leaders have long been creating troubles within the party. “We tried to resolve the problem with them but they’re not cooperating with us. I don’t know their motive behind arranging such a meeting amid the pandemic situation.”