Ershad says Jatiya Party would no more be ‘domesticated opposition’

The Jatiya Party is desperate to stop being a ‘domesticated opposition’ and ride to power by winning the next parliamentary election, Chairman HM Ershad has said.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 7 Sept 2018, 08:58 PM
Updated : 7 Sept 2018, 08:58 PM

He visited the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in Dhaka on Friday to inspect the venue of the party’s meeting slated for Saturday where he also claimed they have garnered strength to form the next government by wininning an absolute majority. 

“We want power, not to become a domesticated opposition party again. I have never been placed second in my life. I am in the opposition for my party,” the former military strongman said. 

The Jatiya Party is the main opposition now with Ershad’s wife Raushon Ershad, a co-chair of the party, as their leader in parliament.

The party is often criticised for praising the government instead of trying to hold it to account. Its leaders are also in the government as ministers. Ershad himself is a special envoy to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The deposed military dictator on Thursday announced he wished to run for the Dhaka-17 parliamentary seat consisting Gulshan and Dhaka Cantonment in the upcoming general election and that it will be his last election.

He also said they planned to contest in all 300 parliamentary seats.

On Friday, Ershad criticised the leaders for ‘not providing sufficient financial help’ to the party.

“Presidium members give Tk 5,000. But even a beggar refuses that amount nowadays. Only the two of us (he and Secretary General Ruhul Amin Howlader) are here to give,” he said.

“Money is needed to run a party. But there is no money. And they have come to become MPs for free. They will become MPs while he (Howlader) and I will toil hard!” he added.