Dhaka: Gono Forum Emeritus President Dr. Kamal Hossain has said that dialogue is essential among all democratic-minded political parties, individuals and civil society to maintain national consensus.

He said this in his presidential address at the seventh national conference of Gono Forum at the Engineers Institute Auditorium in the capital on Saturday (November 30) afternoon. Dr. Kamal Hossain's written statement was read out by the party's General Secretary Mizanur Rahman.

He said that in the past 16 years, state institutions had become almost ineffective due to shameless partisanship. It is the moral responsibility of all political parties and the people of the country to cooperate with the Dr. Muhammad Yunus government to reform these institutions and create a fair environment for elections so that the reforms are able to be carried out smoothly. In this regard, it is necessary to maintain the national consensus that has been created. For this, I think dialogue is essential among all democratic-minded political parties, individuals and civil society.

To the leaders of Gono Forum, Dr. Kamal Hossain said, focusing on today's council, we will further consolidate the unity. Whatever we can achieve through that unity, we can achieve a lot in the past. The lack of this unity has caused us a lot of losses in the past. Let us consolidate the unity that has been formed this time and achieve the declared goals.

Stating that new opportunities have been created to establish a democratic, just and humane Bangladesh, the Gono Forum Emeritus President said, the people of the country have dreamed of an independent and new Bangladesh. This achievement must be taken to the threshold of success. I hope that the leaders and activists will continue their relentless efforts to build a Bangladesh free of discrimination, including the rule of law, justice and human rights, in the democratic journey.

He also said, Gono Forum had identified the existing problems at the time of its birth and expressed a commitment to solve them. After 31 years, it has emerged as a more acute crisis. The country was ruled by undemocratic and authoritarian regimes, which violated the rule of law, justice and fundamental human rights, along with rampant looting, corruption and party-based politics, creating a terrible crisis and uncertainty everywhere. As a result, the Awami League government fell through an unforgettable mass uprising of students and the public.

The Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, said that the country has been destroyed for the last 17 years. The seeds of corruption have been sown in every nook and cranny of this country. Everyone will have to work together to give the gift of a beautiful and prosperous country. This nation has gained its second independence through the student movement.

He said these things during an exchange of views with doctors, lawyers, businessmen, bankers, newspaper editors and journalists, including leaders of various professional organizations, at the Satkhira Circuit House on Friday (November 29) night.

The Jamaat Ameer said that Satkhira is the district with the highest number of martyrs in the country. I have come to Satkhira to inquire about the families of these martyrs. In addition, the house of a member of parliament from Satkhira in the entire country was bulldozed. He is the former MP of this town, Maulana Abdul Khalek Mandal.

Earlier, the Ameer of Jamaat, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman arrived at Satkhira Circuit House by road from Jashore at 9:30 pm. At that time, leaders and activists welcomed him with flowers.

During the exchange of views at Satkhira Circuit House on Friday night, Jamaat's Central Executive Council member Mobarak Hossain, Principal Muhammad Izzat Ullah, Central Organizing Secretary Muhaddis Abdul Khalek, Central Working Committee member Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Muhaddis Rabiul Bashar, District Ameer Vice Principal Shahidul Islam Mukul, Nayeb-e-Ameer Sheikh Nurul Huda, Secretary Maulana Azizur Rahman and other leaders at various levels were present.

Incidentally, the Ameer-e-Jamaat will deliver the chief guest's speech at the Satkhira District Jamaat's Rokon conference at Satkhira Pallimangal School and College ground at 9 am on Saturday (November 30). Later, he will address the district Jamaat workers' conference at Satkhira Government High School grounds as the chief guest at 2 pm.

Dhaka: Fascist dictator is sitting across the border. It is sitting and hatching new conspiracies, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has commented.

He said this while speaking as the chief guest at the Thakurgaon Chhatra Parishad Student Convention-2024 in Dhaka at Khamarbari Krishibid Institute in the capital on Friday (November 29) afternoon.

Urging to be vigilant in confronting the conspiracies of fallen dictators, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that what we have achieved should not go in vain because dictatorship is sitting across the border. It is sitting and hatching new conspiracies. Every moment, it wants to show the world by causing one incident or another that Bangladesh has become a country of fundamentalists. That minority brothers are being tortured in Bangladesh. Indian newspapers and social media are writing as if these terrible incidents are happening in Bangladesh. They are not. So who is doing it? Why are they doing it?

He said, I am saying these words because we have no time to be happy that we have won, everything is over. The sword is still over our heads. They are trying to take us back to darkness. That is why we have to be vigilant, we have to be careful. We have to prevent anyone from doing any kind of stubbornness, any chaos.

The BNP Secretary General expressed his regret and said, I am very sad when I see boys fighting in colleges. When such a big victory, history is made, then we have to see Suhrawardy-Molla College getting bloody due to fights. This is in no way acceptable. We have to stand against it. This is a conspiracy.

Addressing the students, he said, "The extraordinary work you have done in the history of Bangladesh, saving the country from monsters - this is not a small thing." We have not yet crossed that threshold; we have now gone a step further. Only when the students have given their hearts and shed blood has liberation come. The vanguard of our liberation is the students.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, the names of the students come first in this movement. However, we do not keep track of how many rickshaw pullers and workers have lost their lives. I went to Pangu Hospital to see the students. When I went there, I saw that almost 40 percent were workers. It is also important for us to keep track of them.

He said, we are all at the end of our lives, and there was one hope that we would be able to see freedom from the hands of the monster in our lifetime. I was worried whether Begum Khaleda Zia would be able to see the country liberated. Alhamdulillah, she was able to see it.

Dhaka: BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan said, those fighting against fascism in Bangladesh must unite. Fascism cannot be defeated without united efforts.

He made these remarks as the chief guest at a discussion on the 43rd founding anniversary of the Bangladesh Khilafat Movement and “What we can do to confront fascism and its allies” at the National Press Club auditorium on Friday (November 29).

He said, we have a responsibility to restore democracy in the country. The blood of those who gave their lives for democracy cannot be dishonored.

He also said, our main responsibility to restore democracy is to arrange fair elections. The current government is forcibly seizing power and making a farce in the name of elections. The responsibility of an interim government is to arrange fair elections, where the opinions of the people will be accurately reflected.

Regarding the restoration of democracy, Nazrul Islam Khan said, starting from the 1952 language movement to the 1990 anti-dictatorship movement, the people of the country have shed a lot of blood. But even after independence, we have witnessed one-party rule, military dictatorship and the killing of democracy. Today's rulers have also made democracy meaningless in that sequence.

He criticized the Indian authorities and said, so many people died in the July Revolution, India has no statement. A lawyer was killed in Chattogram, India has no reaction. But they are right to make a statement for the expelled leader of ISKCON.

The discussion meeting was presided over by the Senior Nayeb Amir of the Bangladesh Khilafat Movement, Alhaj Mohammad Azam Khan. The organization's Central Joint Secretary General Mufti Enayet Ullah Hafezji, Secretary General Mufti Fakhrul Islam and other leaders were present.