Showing drama in the field of politics is not new for the Jatiya Party (JaPa). The party is always in talks with political allies, even within its own party. In 2000, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, JaPa and Islami Oikya Jote formed a four-party alliance.
Ershad was supposed to take part in the election on October 1, 2001, but he did not stay in the alliance, later the then secretary general of the party Naziur Rahman Manju formed the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) and remained in the four-party alliance. On January 5, 2014, the JaPa went to the polls in alliance with the Awami League (AL), but in the middle of the way, the party decided not to go to the polls under Sheikh Hasina in the first decade of December and the then chairman of the party Hussein Muhammad Ershad sent letters to the party's nominated candidates asking them to withdraw their candidature. He himself sent a delegation to the Election Commission to withdraw the candidature. Besides, the party showed a lot of drama while reshuffling the party's secretary general. Now, before the 12th election, there is a lot of talk about whether the JaPa gives birth to a new incident.
The AL’s main rivals BNP-Jamaat and their allies as well as their like-minded parties are not in the electoral field. As a result, competitive voting is not being held in the same way. Among the registered parties, the JaPa led by GM Quader is in the spotlight. The party, founded by dictator Hussein Muhammad Ershad, once ran the government, but Ershad had to step down in the face of mass movement in 1990. Since then, he has not tasted power, but has remained a factor in politics. At this time before the 12th parliamentary election, the JaPa is in the discussion. Even after 33 years of the fall of the dictator, the JaPa continues to play an important role in politics. November 30 was the last date for submission of nomination papers. Since then, the AL has held several meetings with the JaPa and the 14-party alliance partners. The purpose of those meetings was to negotiate seats with allies. But despite several meetings, no agreement was reached.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina said at a cabinet meeting on November 11 that JaPa cannot be trusted. Yesterday, such news was published in the print and online versions of various media and there was a lot of uproar in politics. On the same day, JaPa chief patron Begum Raushan Ershad requested the AL president not to go to the polls in alliance with GM Quader-led JaPa. There has been a lot of discussion and criticism in the political arena yesterday about these issues. There have been all sorts of reactions within the party. In the end, many are wondering whether the JaPa will go to the election, or will take steps like 2014. The ruling party AL is thinking more about this as if the JaPa does not come to the polls, the crisis is increasing. But the AL president firmly believes and hopes that the election will be held under any circumstances.
Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu informed the Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad about the situation created by the JaPa before the election on January 5, 2014. As a result, analysts believed that it is very natural to be skeptical about JaPa. Earlier this year, JaPa Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu told parliament that Jatiya Party Chairman late Hussein Muhammad Ershad had sent letters to the party candidates to withdraw their nominations from the 2014 election. But some leaders, including Begum Raushan Ershad, took part in the election by betraying Ershad.
He also said that if JaPa did not participate in that election, an unconstitutional situation and constitutional vacuum would have been created. JaPa boycotted the 2014 election. Our chairman late Hussein Muhammad Ershad said at the final time that he would not participate in the election and he sent letters to all the candidates across the country to withdraw the nomination.
Chunnu said that there was such a situation that day... The BNP did not participate in the election. No team will come. If JaPa did not come, an unconstitutional situation would have been created in Bangladesh. A constitutional vacuum would have been created. On that day, Begum Raushan Ershad and some of us revolted with JaPa Chairman Hussein Muhammad Ershad and held the election under the leadership of Begum Ershad.
Citing sources from two ministers, the AL could not trust the JaPa by publishing news in various media yesterday. The AL cannot rely on the party about what it does. Sheikh Hasina made the remarks at a cabinet meeting on December 11, two ministers who attended the meeting were quoted as saying. As a result, there is a lot of discussion in the political arena. The last date for withdrawal of nomination forms is December 17, so the JaPa will have to wait till December 17 to be sure what kind of steps it is going to take.
It was known that the meetings between the AL and the JaPa over the seat agreement did not yield any good results. As a result, there is some anger in JaPa. Political analysts fear that if JaPa takes any negative step for AL, it may increase the crisis in national politics. When this correspondent talked to the secretary general of the JaPa on December 11, he said that the JaPa is meeting with the AL to hold a fair election, more meetings will be held.
However, when reporters asked him about Sheikh Hasina's comment about JaPa (Jatiya Party cannot be trusted), he said yesterday, I have no scope to say anything about it. Whether you believe us or not, it is up to her (the prime minister). We have no comments on this. Chunnu said this while talking to reporters at the Jatiya Party chairman's Banani office yesterday.
Responding to another comment of the Prime Minister, Mujibul Haque Chunnu said JaPa is coming to the election. Jatiya Party did not come to leave the election. The Jatiya Party secretary general also said, "I am coming to the election to contest, not to leave. If no one believes me, that's up to them. Don't trust them. We are not into the question of faith or disbelief. Elections are the way to change government. Since BNP did not come in this election, the anti-Awami League vote is much higher. We'll get that vote. I came to the election expecting this. To get that vote, you need a fair voting environment. If there is an environment, then we are dreaming of going to power. He said the Jatiya Party only wanted a fair environment from the EC and the government. This is our main demand. If this is the case, there is no scope to move away from the election.
Meanwhile, JaPa’s chief patron and leader of the opposition in parliament Raushan Ershad met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban yesterday. In the meeting, he requested Sheikh Hasina not to form an alliance with GM Quader-led JaPa. After the meeting, former JaPa secretary general Moshiur Rahman Ranga said Raushan Ershad said in the meeting, I am the wife of the party's founding president Hussein Muhammad Ershad, the leader of the opposition, I was not nominated. They did not nominate me and Ershad's son (Saad). He (GM Quader) himself stood in that place. If the chairman discriminates, what is Saad's fault that he will not be nominated? At least 150 other such workers have not been nominated. So who do you ally with, don't make an alliance with me, don't do it with them. The Prime Minister then said, OK, we will think about it, we will see. Because you say the party is broken, if the party is broken, then it is broken.
Responding to a question, JaPa’s chief patron Raushan Ershad told reporters that the Prime Minister talked about the election. Asked whether the Prime Minister said anything about participating in the election, Raushan said there is no time now. What else to say. She said the election was discussed with the Prime Minister. However, he did not elaborate on what was discussed. AL President Sheikh Hasina not to form an alliance with GM Quader-led JaPa and said that the alliance with GM Quader in the election will not be beneficial as I (Raushan) do not support her (GM Quader) activities.
Meanwhile, when asked about Sheikh Hasina's comment on JaPa, Kazi Firoz Rashid, one of the presidium members of the JaPa, was called on mobile phone, he disconnected the phone after hearing the question.
According to the Election Commission, 29 political parties out of 44 registered political parties are taking part in this election. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Muslim League, which boycotted the election, has been included in the EC's participation in the election, but they have denied giving candidacy.On the other hand, the EC yesterday rejected the nominations of all the candidates of the Ganatantri Party. As a result, according to the EC, 28 political parties are currently in the election field. That's actually 27 votes.
ARS
