Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad, on Saturday, reiterated he would not take part in the parliament election, unless all political parties participated in the suffrage.
“I’m ready to sacrifice my life for my countrymen, but will not take part in the 10th Parliamentary polls, unless all political parties participated. I will not budge from my resolve,” Ershad stated through his special assistant, Bobby Hajjaj, who visited the former president at the Combined Medical Hospital (CMH) at noon. Ershad’s special assistant alleged that the government was trying to elect HM Ershad as an MP, unopposed, forcibly, despite his firm decision to stay off the elections.
“I don’t believe that a democratic force can come to power in the January 5 elections. The JP wants a democratic government. We are not joining the polls under the current election schedule, and that’s why the JP has decided to boycott this election,” Bobby said, quoting Ershad.
The JP chief has alleged that the government has deliberately stopped his party candidates from withdrawing nomination, to falsely portray that the JP was taking part in the elections.
Quoting the former president, Bobby said Ershad was fully fit and not ill. “I’m under detention, in the name of treatment. Even if I die at the CMH, I won’t change my stand on the election,” said Ershad, through Bobby.
The former army chief also thanked all the leaders, including BNP acting secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, for demanding his release. Claiming he was the temporary spokesperson for Ershad, Bobby added that the statement issued by the JP presidium member Tajul Islam, about participating in the election, was not the statement of the JP chief.
Meanwhile, Ershad’s wife, Rawshan Ershad, held meetings with a section of JP leaders, at her Gulshan-2 residence in the city, on Saturday. Among others, Anisul Islam Mahmud, Ziauddin Ahmad Bablu, Kazi Firoz Rashid and Lily Hasnat attended the meetings, JP sources said.
-With The Independent input
