Law enforcers picked up the Jatiya Party chairman, HM Ershad, from his house at Baridhara about 11:40pm on Thursday, the party’s secretary general ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader, said.
‘RAB 1 personnel picked up our leader. He was later admitted to Dhaka Combined Military Hospital because of “illness” after he had officially informed the Election Commission about midday that the party would not contest the 10th parliamentary elections scheduled for January 5,’ Hawlader said.
Ershad’s Jatiya Party was a partner in the Awami League-led ruling alliance and had representation in the polls-time cabinet.
Ershad on December 3 announced that the party had decided to boycott the
polls because of the absence of a ‘congenial environment’ and the polls being being ‘non-inclusive.’
Since the party’s announcement of polls boycott, several leaders of the Awami League had several meetings with a section of JP leaders for a negotiation but all behind-the-scenes meetings proved to be a futile exercise.
The party’s presidium member Kazi Feroz Rashid, also a former minister, told New Age on Thursday night that Ershad had played golf in the morning and he was quite okay till 10:00pm when he met Ershad last.
‘Ershad’s wife Rawshan has already said that she must uphold the decision Ershad has made regarding polls boycott. JP chief has also directed all the party candidates to withdrawal their candidature,’ Feroz said.
According to the polls schedule, the withdrawal of nomination papers began on December 7 and it closes today.
Ershad submitted nomination papers for three constituencies — Lalmonirhat 1, Rangpur 3 and Dhaka 17. About 260 candidates from his party submitted nomination papers for contesting the polls. Returning officers accepted his applications for the withdrawal of candidatures.
Sarwar Hossain, a central leader of Juba Sanghati, told New Age that a group of law enforcers, including the Rapid Action Battalion and the police, had entered the house of Ershad about 11:45pm. ‘The chief of an intelligence agency was also present when he was picked up. Several hundred activists shouted slogan in protest at the arrest of their leader,’ Sarwar said.
The battalion’s legal and media wing director ATM Habibur Rahman told New Age that Ershad was feeling sick about 11:30pm and asked them to carry him to the CMH.
Later, RAB 1 personnel, who were on duty in front of Ershad’s house, President Park, took him to the CMH,, the RAB 1 commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Kismat Hayat, said.
Courtesy of New Age
