Govt failed people’s expectations in first year, says Ershad

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad on Thursday said the government has not only failed to fulfill the expectations of the people in the first year of the current tenure, but frequent killings, forced disappearance and misrule had become a regular phenomenon. Ershad, addressing a rally organised by his party marking its 29th founding anniversary at the Suhrawardy Uddyan, also spelt out a 18-point charter of demands including introduction of provincial form of government. Ershad, also special envoy to the prime minister, announced that his party would launch anti-government movement unless the 18-point charter of demands is not met. `The country has been stigmatised because of frequent killings, abductions and forced disappearances,’ said the former military ruler who ran the country for nearly nine years. He claimed such a situation had never prevailed during his tenure but he had to face imprisonment for more than five years because of vengeance of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia. Censuring Khaleda’s eldest son Tarique Rahman for making derogatory remarks against the country’s founding president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Ershad said, `Tarique is not mentally fit.’ He motivated the audience to cry `shame, shame’ at Tarique’s remark.

Referring to the sensational Narayanganj seven murders, including that of Chandan Sarkar, the ex-military ruler said no action has been taken against the culprits. Criticising the government for not taking action against the clique behind the share market scam, Ershad said the scam investigation report did not see the light of day and the culprits are safely roaming around. ‘Those who looted thousands of crores of taka from banks are at large. No punishment was served to them,’ he said, adding, ‘the government has completely failed to fulfill the expectations of the people in the first year of its five-year tenure.’ Speaking as special guest, Raushan Ershad said she had decided to participate in the January 5 election as per instruction from the party chairman (Ershad). Jatiya Party secretary general Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, who chaired the function, criticised Jamaat-e-Islami for enforcing the strike on January 1, as the JP had announced the rally much earlier. Ziauddin last week told New Age that nearly five lakh supporters would attend the rally but the number appeared significantly lower.

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