Jatiya Party (JP) President HM Ershad has threatened not to join the next general elections unless a neutral environment is created before the polls.
“We do not believe a neutral environment is prevailing in the country right now. The two major parties are in a conflicting mood,” Ershad said while addressing the ceremony of the founding anniversary of Jatiya Party’s youth front, Jubo Songhati, at a hotel in the capital this afternoon.
It is believed that Ershad, the chief of JP, an ally of Awami League-led grand alliance, made such remarks for the very first time. During the last years of the present government, Ershad was vocal for joining the polls.
Recently, he sent letters to the Prime Minister, also Awami League president, Sheikh Hasina and the main opposition leader BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia urging them to hold a dialogue to resolve the existing political crisis.
Ershad, a former president of the country, again suggested that Hasina and Khaleda should sit in discussion to put an end to the ongoing political crisis.
“They [Hasina and Khaleda], sat in discussions to topple me when I was in power. But now they are now not sitting to discuss. Why?” Ershad added.
About the movement of youths at capital’s Shahbag demanding capital punishment to the war criminals, Ershad said, “I requested the government to stop this Shahbag movement. But, the government did not pay heed to it. Rather, the government patronised the movement giving food, money and security. But, now, this group of youths have created problem for the government.”
Ershad said a gap between the BNP and the Jamaat-e-Islami was developing. But the youths of Shahbagh movement have again cleared the way to get these two parties closer, he noted.
"Because of the Shahbagh movement all religion-based political parties have come under single umbrella and they are now demanding resignation of the government," he said.
Senior Jatiya Party leaders including ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader and Zia Uddin Ahmed Bablu also spoke at the occasion.
