History is punishing Khaleda Zia, says Ershad

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad has commented that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is being "punished by history" in a cruel twist of fate.

The prime minister's special envoy also expressed dissatisfaction at a rally on Thursday over the government's initiatives.

Ershad, who heads the opposition party, took a dig at Khaleda saying: "History never forgives anyone. It deals heavy blows.

"You sent me to jail, incarcerated my wife and son. But still, I was able to meet them once a week.

"Only Allah knows when you'll be able to see your sons."

Khaleda's eldest son Tarique Rahman is in the UK, while younger son Arafat Rahman Coco is believed to be also abroad.

Tarique has been accused in a dozen cases including one for allegedly trying to kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, while Coco has been convicted of laundering money.

The BNP and its allies boycotted the Jan 5 polls, paving the way for Ershad's party to emerge as the main opposition.

Khaleda has accused former military dictator Ershad of her husband's murder.

But the Jatiya Party chief blamed the BNP chief for "introducing the practice of political vengeance".

Ershad alleged Khaleda had first interfered with the judiciary, formed special courts, and started the tradition to clamp embargoes on rallies.

He alleged Section 144 was imposed on 142 of his rallies.

"In a twist of history, you (Khaleda) are being tried at the special court and Section 144 is slapped on your rallies.

"You're reaping the harvest of the practice of political vengeance that you started," Ershad said.

In his long speech, the military dictator also denied responsibility for the death of Noor Hossain, killed during the anti-autocracy movement in the late 1990s.

"He was killed in a planned way as those leading the agitations needed a body. Noor Hossain was a victim of politics of corpses," he claimed.

The Awami League and the BNP together had toppled the Ershad regime in 1990. However, the Awami League later included Ershad's party in their alliance.

Ershad was made the prime minister's special envoy even though his party contested the polls independently and emerged as the main opposition.

He urged the government not to hike power and gas prices but to recover the money siphoned off.

"If you can do that, you won't need to raise prices," Ershad said, warning that his party would walk out of Parliament otherwise.

He urged all parties to sit for talks.

"As the senior-most politician, I request all the parties to come and talk to find ways to build a terror-free Bangladesh, a beautiful future," the Jatiya Party chief said.