Get united to save country: Dr Kamal

Gonoforum President Dr Kamal Hossain yesterday called upon all irrespective of their political affiliations and opinions to get united to save the country.

"Don't count profit or loss over forging a unity. Let's come forward and work sincerely to unite people and save Bangla Maa," the jurist told a tea party at a hotel in the capital.

"People succeeded in the past through united and consensus-based movement. So will we if we can build unity; the people of Bangladesh never accepted oppression and misrule," he said.

Dr Kamal said, "How many people the government will kill and make victims of disappearance?"

Wrapping up his speech, he said the country's democracy would be destroyed totally if corruption and the culture of impunity continued.

Speaking at the programme many discussants called for forming a third or alternative trend to do away with the "misrule" of the Awami League and the BNP.

Jatiya Party (Ershad) leader GM Quader, Bikolpodhara Bangladesh Secretary General Maj (retd) MA Mannan, Communist Party of Bangladesh President Mujahidul Islam Selim, its leader Ruhin Hossain Prince, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rob) Secretary General Abdul Maleq Ratan, Nagorik Oikya adviser SM Akram, Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) leader Bazlur Rashid, leaders of different professional bodies, academics, and senior journalists joined the programme.

Nagorik Oikya adviser SM Akram said, "Time has come to create a third trend in politics and let us all wage movement under the leadership of Kamal Hossain."

GM Quader said, "People have no confidence in politics as it is taking them backward. We are with him [Dr Kamal]."

Mujahidul Islam said, "The present government is destroying all democratic institutions in the country."