Leader of the Opposition Rawshan Ershad yesterday lost her temper in the face of a volley of questions from the media.
It was a views-exchange meeting with journalists on the parliament premises. She talked to journalists for about 40 minutes but she never gave a direct answer.
When journalists said the Jatiya Party was a “pet” opposition party in the public perception, Rawshan Ershad snapped back.
“Is it because we do not fight, we do not throw files and boycott parliament sessions that you people label us with such a name?” she snarled. “People have never seen an opposition like us.”
“The responsibility of the opposition is to help the government run its state affairs smoothly for five years and that is the role we are playing in the parliament.”
In response to a question she said the January 5 election was a must for the constitution and democracy.
When asked if they will demand any mid-term election she said: “If people want, then there can be another election but the Jatiya Party is not taking any initiative to this end right now.”
About the seven murders in Narayanganj, Rawshan said it was an isolated incident. “We formed a human chain there but I could not visit Narayanganj as I was ill.”
She denied answering to the questions of Narayanganj murders any further saying: “It is a subjudice matter and the case is under investigation.”
On May 16, the JaPa leader said: “About 16 crore people live in Bangladesh. In a densely populated country, such type of abductions and killings are isolated incidents and everyone cannot be blamed for it.”
However, in the yesterday’s programme, she avoided commenting on the issue saying that the government should decentralise the capital to curb such crimes.
Responding to the question on Indian election, Rawshan said no comparison should be made between the election of India and Bangladesh. “Bangladesh has so many things to learn from India.”