Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader said that there was direct and indirect pressure on the party to participate in the 12th national parliamentary polls on January 7.
He spoke about the reasons behind the participation in the elections.
The meeting of the Jatiya Party's central extended committee was held at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in the capital on Saturday.
Pointing to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, GM Quader mentioned that her “one party rule” is going on in the country which can lead to a political vacuum and radicalism.
In his speech, GM Quader questioned the ruling party about past elections, saying: “There was an attempt to form an opposition party with garbage. And what is the condition of the domestic allies of Awami League?”
“On December 17, I made all preparations to withdraw from the election. Then pressure came directly and indirectly. I will not go into details about direct pressure, you will understand. The indirect pressure is — if I don't participate in the polls, the polls will be held and the Jatiya Party will be forced to join the polls. The Jatiya Party will be led to elections not by me and those who will be with me, but by others. And I understood that the JaPa will be elected as a domestic party and will disappear from the political field. We will lose the political stage and we will not be able to do anything for the country and the nation in the future.”
GM Quader was speaking to the leaders and activists after the extended meeting of the party.
At this time, he explained the reason for participating in the 12th national parliamentary polls despite his unwillingness in front of the party leaders and activists.
He continued: "We asked the ruling party to make sure that the election is fair and neutral. The administration will not behave like the party's activists. They promised they would do it. While doing this, they withdrew the Awami League candidate to my wife's seat and said that the rest are in the process.”
“Then they spread rumours that I was participating in the election, selling the party to elect my wife.”
The JaPa chairman said: "The election was not acceptable. Even if we didn't participate, the election would have taken place, and the Jatiya Party would have participated there. The government made such arrangements.”
GM Quader said that the national election was important to the Awami League for its survival. It had to go to the polls at any cost, otherwise a crisis would be created for its existence.
“Foreign countries said something about our election. From that I have clearly understood that at least three major superpowers have given their support to make this election a success. Later they wanted the government to continue. Besides, several other countries were ready to support the government in this election,” Quader further added.
