Kamal Hossain hospitalised after falling ill

Dr Kamal Hossain, a key architect of the constitution of Bangladesh and emeritus president of Gonoforum, was admitted to Square Hospital in Dhaka yesterday after falling ill.

According to a party press release, the 88-year-old veteran politician is suffering from lung-related complications.

Gonoforum General Secretary Mizanur Rahman has urged people across the country to pray for Dr Kamal's recovery.

The press release referred to an incident from last Wednesday, when Dr Kamal attended the funeral of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. It said his name was not included on the official guest list, which resulted in the Special Security Force (SSF) denying his vehicle access through the designated VIP route.

As a result, Dr Kamal had to travel a considerable distance through a dense crowd in a wheelchair, the release said, adding that he fell ill afterwards.

In October 2023, Dr Kamal was elected as Gono Forum's emeritus president after he resigned from the post of party president.

He was the president of the party for 30 years since it was founded in 1993.

The veteran politician rose to prominence when he, along with some other eminent lawyers, defended Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the Agartala Conspiracy Case.

Following Bangladesh's independence, Dr Kamal served in Bangabandhu's government in several capacities, including as the minister of law, minister of petroleum and minerals, and minister of foreign affairs.

He ran in the 1981 presidential election as the Awami League candidate but lost to Justice Abdus Sattar. He left AL in 1992 after disagreements with senior Awami League leaders on several issues. He founded Gono Forum the following year.

Ahead of the December 2018 general election, Dr Kamal formed a new alliance called Jatiya Oikya Front with the BNP and several other political parties. But the alliance became dysfunctional after it lost the election.