Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad said politicians had failed to resolve their differences and it was something that was holding back the country.
After placing wreaths at the National Memorial in Savar marking the 46th Independence Day on Saturday, the former military dictator said the country was yet to reach its desired goals even after 45 years of independence.
“Bangladesh is lagging behind because of political conflicts,” Ershad told reporters after paying tributes to those who sacrificed their lives for independence during the 1971 War of Liberation.
Referring to the recent incidents of extremism, Ershad said he would choose to term those terrorist activities.
“I do not get the term extremism. Whatever happening or have happened in the name of extremism are terror acts. These acts are being described as extremism,” he said.
At a discussion at his Banani office later in the day, the Jatiya Party chief said democracy now exists in the country in name only.
“This is because the existence of democracy is at stake. We want security, a corruption-free society and adequate jobs for all in an independent country but killing and abduction have instead become regular phenomena. The society has faced degradation at all levels,” Ershad said.
Urging all to be united in their efforts to let people enjoy what it means to be an independent nation, he said: “A consensus cannot be reached between anti-liberation forces and real nationalists. Jatiya Party upholds the spirit of the liberation war and that is why all need to be united under this party.”
The former president said what was happening in the name of union parishad elections was not good for democracy.
“Many have become elected unopposed, which is rare.”