Chittagong, Sep 18 (bdnews24.com)--Jatiya Party chairman H M Ershad has said the partial pullout of troops from the three Chittagong Hill Tracts districts is premature -- the first time the chief of the key ally of the ruling coalition directly criticised a government decision.

"Conspiracy over Chittagong Hill Tracts is going on. The decision to withdraw troops is premature... We cannot let it become East Timor or Israel," Ershad said to reporters after a meeting with party leaders at Chittagong circuit house on Friday.

He, however, said the withdrawal of the army was 'significant'.

Asked how did he viewed the decision as a former army chief, Ershad said: "The government has withdrawn troops as it thought it right. However, the decision should have been taken only after further observation of the situation."

The impact of the decision will be felt over the coming days, the former general added.

The government announced on July 29 the withdrawal of a brigade, three infantry battalions and 35 temporary camps from the three hilly districts as part of its move to implement the 1997 CHT Peace Accord.

It has since wrapped up several temporary army camps from the region amid some protests from Bengali settlers in the indigenous region.

"It is not right if any group says non-indigenous people and the army should not stay in that region. Because the area is part of Bangladesh," the former president said.

Ershad said incidents of extortion and tender-rigging have shot up over the past eight months since the government took office.

"The government has failed in some areas. Tender manipulation and extortion have crossed tolerable limits. Everyone is talking about that."

"Hopefully, the government will address these two issues after Eid."

Asked whether the failure to control the price of commodities, worsening law and order and a lack of coordination among the ministers have rendered the government unsuccessful, Ershad said: "We should not judge any government to be unsuccessful after such a short period."

He defended deaths is so-called 'crossfire' -- the shooting incidents commonly reported in the media, a term which has come to imply 'suspicious' or extra-judicial killings.

"This is not crossfire, this is gunfight. Terrorism should be tackled. It does not matter if crossfire or gunfight takes place. Millions of people should not suffer for a handful of terrorists."

The chairman said his party leaders were dissatisfied, not frustrated, with not getting expected posts in the government despite being the key component in the coalition government.

"We have not got the posts, we will get them in the future. There is no point to get frustrated with that."

"Awami League has came to power after a long time. So, they are giving opportunities to party men in different areas. It is natural."

He also claimed that his party did not join the 'Grand Alliance' expecting return. "The main objective of forging the alliance was to save the country from the repression and exploitation of the four-party alliance government."

Central council in January

"Jatiya Party will hold central council in next January after forming grassroots committee within three months," Ershad said in the view-exchange meeting.

He also asked the leaders and supporters to strengthen organisational operations for run the next general election alone.

"Complaints come from many areas that Jatiya Party is popular but it has no organisation. We need to work together to rid the bad name and boost the party's image by using its popularity."

Convener of the Chittagong metropolitan unit Solaiman Sheth presided over the meeting. JP secretary general Ruhul Amin Hawlader, general secretary of Chittagong district (south) chapter, Nurussafa Sarkar and general secretary of Bandarban Aminul Islam Bacchu also spoke in the meeting.

Ershad handed clothes and Iftar foods among the poor before the meeting.

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