Kamal Hossain seeks immediate start of dialogue to ensure fair polls

Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain today urged the government to immediately initiate dialogues with all political parties to ensure a free, fair, and participatory upcoming parliamentary election.

"The people are extremely anxious about the next polls as the 2014 one-sided election was held without voters and the 2018 election held at night," he said while addressing a discussion organised by Gonoforum on the occasion of its 30th founding anniversary at the National Press Club in the capital.

Dr Kamal Hossain said, "To ensure a fair, impartial, and participatory upcoming parliamentary election, I urge the government to immediately sit down with all political parties for talks."

The Gonoforum president placed a six-point demand, including the installation of a neutral non-partisan election-time government through discussions with political parties to overcome the ongoing crisis, and reconstitution of the Election Commission.

The proposals also demanded for ensuring of all parties' freedom to hold rallies and meetings, a level playing field for all parties, withdrawal of "false and harassing" cases against opposition leaders and activists, and making arrangements for the appointment of domestic and foreign observers.

Conveying greetings on the founding anniversary, Dr Kamal said, "Let's work together for national unity so that we can achieve our goal unitedly."

The party's general secretary Mizanur Rahman read the three-page written statement of Kamal Hossain.