Montu-led Gonoforum warns to take action against Dr Kamal

A faction of Gonoforum leaders, led by its former general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu, on Wednesday warned of taking organisational action against party president Dr Kamal Hossain if he does not refrain from indulging in its ‘anti-constitutional’ activities.

“All the anti-constitutional activities within our party have been carried out with the direct help of our party president Dr Kamal Hossain. If we say it straightforward it’s been done with his consent,” said Gonoforum ex-executive president Subrata Chowdhury.

Speaking at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club, he said, “We would like to clearly say we’ll be forced to take organisational decision against respected Dr Kamal Hossain for the continuation of anti-political and anti-constitutional activities, patronage of an evil quarter, and the character assassination of national leaders through spreading lies, fabrications and imaginary interviews.”

Asked what the organisational decision they may take, Subrata said they may serve show-cause notices upon Dr Kamal and others if they continue to carry out their activities going against the party constitution.

“As per our constitution, if the party president or a member is involved in anti-constitutional activities, he or she can be expelled with the consent of two-thirds of the members of the Central Committee. Before that, we’ve to send a show-cause notice. This is the provision of our constitution,” he added.

Subrata said they had a plan to take a decision regarding Dr Kamal Hossain at the party council on December 26. “But he in connivance with Dr Reza Kibria is still doing anti-constitutional activities. “So, this process may have taken place earlier. We’ll take a decision on it seeing his role from tomorrow.”

Montu said Dr Kamal Hossain has been there in the post of party president for 27 years as there has been no democracy within the party. “Five to six general secretaries of the party have been changed by the time, but he’s still its president without any break. He used to talk about quitting the post, but he didn’t do it yet.”

He said a democratic party must have the practice of democracy and the party activities should be carried out in its office instead of at any person’s chamber or home. “It’s unfortunate that we had to make the party decisions at (Kamal’s) chamber. The Central Committee didn’t meet in the last 18 months though there is an obligation to do it every three months. This isn’t the practice of democracy.”

Montu said Dr Reza Kibria was made party member and its general secretary unconstitutionally as per Dr Kamal’s own decision.

On October 17, a central committee meeting of Gonoforum, led by Dr Kamal, decided to hold the party’s central council on December 12.

The meeting also decided to expel eight leaders–Mostafa Mohsin Montu, Prof Abu Sayeed, Subrata Chowdhury, Zaglul Haider Afrik, Helaluddin, Latiful Bari Hamim, Khan Siddiqur Rahman and Abdul Hasib Chowdhury– from the post of primary member of the party.

On September 26, Gonoforum, led by Montu, decided to hold its national council on December 26 next.

At an ‘extended meeting of the faction’s central committee’ also expelled party general secretary Dr Reza Kibria, presidium members AOM Shafique Ullah, advocate Mohsin Rashid and organising secretary Mostaque Ahmed for violating party discipline and constitution and indulging in activities that go against the party’s interests and organisational unity.

Dr Kamal Hossain founded Gonoforum in 1993 deserting Awami League.

source: UNB