Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad on Sunday lamented that though he had quit power for the sake of democracy, the two major parties — Awami League and BNP– have failed to restore democracy and give people peace due to their negative politics.
“When I was in power, many hartals had been enforced destroying public property. I quit power hoping that democracy would be established in the country, but that did not happen, nor there has been any end to hartal culture,” he said.The Jatiya Party chief made the remarks as he was addressing a rally organised by his party’s Mouvibazar district unit.
Ershad alleged BNP does do the politics of vengeance while Awami League the politics of killing and indulged in enforced disappearance, and both parties are trying to make Bangladesh a failed state.
Voicing his concern over the growing incidents of killing and disappearance, he said some 165 people were killed and over 300 made disappeared in the last eight months. “Bangladesh ranked first in corruption index for five years after I had quit power. Militancy has also emerged in the country,’’ he added.
Claiming that there is no alternative to bringing Jatiya Party to power to restore peace in the country and welfare of its people, the former military ruler urged people to elect his party candidates in the next polls.
“People now want a change in government for the change of their fate. I’m indebted to the residents of Sylhet and Moulvibazar as they proved their affection for me by giving my party eight parliamentary seats in the past,” he added.
Ershad also said, “I’ve elevated Sylhet to a division. I’ve set up universities here apart from constructing more roads, bridges and culverts than any other parts of the country.”
Recalling the role of General Osmani in the Liberation War, he said nobody remembers him now. “He was like my father. So, I had built an international airport in Sylhet after his name.”- UNB
