Dhaka: Trashing media reports on a rift in their alliance, Jatiya Oikyafront senior leader on Sunday said no elected MPs of their coalition is going to take oath.

‘No one of Oikyafront MPs will take oath. Oikyafront will remain intact and it won’t face a split,’ said Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President ASM Abdur Rob, reports the UNB.

He came up with the comments while talking to reporters after a meeting of the steering committee of Oikyafront at Dr Kamal Hossain’s Motijheel chamber. 

Gano Forum general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu said some online portals and newspapers raised questions about the unity of the Jatiya Oikyafront over a comment of Dr Kamal Hossain at Gano Forums’ extended meeting.

He said Dr Kamal Hossain in no way said Gano Forum’s elected MPs will take oath. ‘We hope there’ll be no misunderstanding over the issue.’

Montu said they want to clearly say that there is no disunity in the Jatiya Oikyafront over taking oath of its elected MPs. ‘Rather, Jatiya Oikyafront is more united than in the past and will remain so to realise people’s voting and other rights after the farce on December 30.’

Montu said, ‘We aren’t taking oath now. I would like to say clearly that no Gono Forum MP will take oath.’

Mentioning that Jatiya Oikyafront turned down the farce in the name of election on December 30, he said their alliance will continue its programme demanding the election under a non-party neutral government.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Abdur Rob, Krishak Sramik Janata League president Abdul Kader Siddiqui, Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Gano forum executive president Subrata Chowdhury and Mostafa Mohshin Montu were, among others, present at the meeting held with Dr Kamal Hossain in the chair.

On Saturday, Kamal Hossain said, ‘We’ve rejected the election, but the way our two candidates came out successful in such an election through competition is their big achievement. So, we’re thinking positively about sending them to Parliament,’ he said. 

Dr Kamal, also the convener of Jatiya Oikyafront, came up with the remarks at a press conference at Bangladesh ShishuKalyan Parishad after an extended meeting of the party.

He said their two MPs can play a positive and meaningful role in parliament after taking oath. ‘If others (BNP MPs) think it won’t be possible for them to play a good role in parliament, they may take decision in their own ways.’