Jatiya Party
JP seeks to remove ailing Raushan as leader of opposition in Parliament
Jatiya Party Parliamentary Party on Thursday handed over a letter to Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury requesting her to recognise party chairman GM Quader as the leader of opposition in the Parliament.
Currently, Raushan Ershad is the opposition leader who has been abroad for a long time for medical treatment with GM Quader as her deputy.
A delegation of JP led by the party’s secretary general and a JP MP Mujibul Haque Chunnu submitted the letter to the Speaker at the latter’s office this evening.
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“Opposition leader is sick for a long time, so she is unable to come to the Parliament due to her sickness. The Parliamentary Party took the decision at a meeting where 23 out of 26 MPs were present and one MP telephoned his consent saying that he will sign the letter later,” Chunnu said.
Earlier, the Jatiya Party Parliamentary Party at a meeting at its office at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban decided to make the change and send the decision to the Speaker, Chunnu said.
Raushan is now under treatment at a hospital in Bangkok.
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Practising democracy impossible keeping all powers in one person’s hands: GM Quader
Stating that constitutional dictatorship has been established in the country, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday alleged that practising democracy is not possible when all powers are there in one person’s hands.
“Those who unfairly gave HM Ershad the title of dictator, they themselves established a dictatorship by amending the constitution. Awami League and BNP have repeatedly amended the constitution and established a constitutional dictatorship in the country,” he said.
As all powers are in the hands of the prime minister, the Jatiya Party chief said whatever she says is now law. “It can never be a democracy and it cannot be a democratic practice.”
Also read: EC makes itself questionable: GM Quader
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, came up with the remarks while speaking at the publication ceremony of a book titled "Chhotder Pallibandhu" written by Sunil Shubo Roy at the Banani office auditorium of the Jatiya Party Chairman.
He said political opponents have spared many lies against Jatiya Party founder HM Ershad but they did not succeed. “Pallibandhu (Ershad) remains there in the hearts of the common people of the country. The political reality is now down with democracy and let dictatorship continue.”
The Jatiya Party chief also said Ershad’s political opponents carried out many false campaigns against him to belittle him. “They falsely branded Pallibandhu as corrupt, but no cases were filed against him or any Jatiya Party leaders during the anti-corruption campaign of clean heart and another such a drive during the 1/11 political changeover.”
He accused Awami League and BNP of indulging in corruption whenever they came to power since 1990.
GM Quader said many cases were filed against the leaders of the two major parties on the charges of indulging in corruption by the 1/11 government, but the cases against Awami League leaders were dropped when the party came to power. “BNP could not withdraw the cases as it’s out of power.”
Also read: Govt can’t evade responsibility for Momen’s comments: GM Quader
He alleged that there is now no sector in the country where there is no corruption. “Corruption has entered every corner of the country.”
The Jatiya Party chairman also alleged that Awami League and BNP have initiated politics of vengeance in the country since 1990.
Govt can’t evade responsibility for Momen’s comments: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday said the government cannot avoid responsibility for Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen’s recent statement on seeking India’s help to keep Sheikh Hasina in power.
“Such a statement has also embarrassed our neighbouring friendly country India. It also brought into question the sovereignty of the country,” he said.
GM Quader made the remarks while exchanging greetings with the leaders and prominent personalities of the Hindu community on the occasion of Janmashtami at the Jatiya Party Chairman's Banani office.
Earlier at a Janmashtami programme in Chattogram on Thursday, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen reportedly said that he urged the Indian government to back Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina so that she can stay in power.
According to Hindu scriptures, the Jatiya Party chief said, Lord Krishna appeared on this earth to protect the righteous and annihilate the wicked. “But protecting the wicked and suppressing the virtuous is now going on in our country. Not only the minority communities are leaving the country but also the Muslims are now leaving the country being subjected to social, economic and political discrimination. “The honest persons now can’t get jobs and the idealistic persons can’t do business,” he said.
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said many people are leaving the country and going to other countries in order to survive: “A reign of corruption has been established in the country. Ideals and justice are being washed away by the tsunami of corruption”
He said the government can take initiatives to formulate the Minority Protection Act and form the Minority Commission.
GM Quader said their party founder HM Ershad ensured equal rights for all religions alongside making Islam the state religion.
He said huge money is being siphoned off abroad from Bangladesh every year through corruption. “Corruption is rampant in every sector due to lack of accountability. If anyone criticises corruption, the government considers him/her as conspiratorial and anti-state element.”
Read: Momen comments: AL expects PM to formally look into it
The Jatiya Party chief said criticism must be tolerated and accountability must be ensured to govern the country properly.
GM Quader said the government used to dismiss it as a ridiculous matter when the issue of extrajudicial killings is raised. “As a result, we are known to the world as a state of liars.”
Stating that the electoral system of the country has collapsed, he said people need to have the scope to elect their representatives by exercising voting rights in elections.”
It seems Bangladesh is paradise of mismanagement: GM Quader
Expressing profound shock at the loss of 11 lives in two separate incidents in the capital on Monday, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Tuesday said Bangladesh has apparently become a paradise of mismanagement.
In a condolence message, he said, “It seems that Bangladesh will be the world champion in mismanagement if a survey is conducted.”
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said it has become normal that countless mothers will lose their children every day due to negligence and mismanagement.
“Accidents have now become an order of the day be it on roads, waterways or in industrial plants or any public places. It can’t continue like this and it can’t be allowed to go on like this,” he observed.
Read:Accept tea workers' logical demand for pay hike: GM Quader
The Jatiya Party chief said the government must make public the investigation reports into the two incidents--girder crash at Uttara and a plastic factory fire at Chawkbazar in Dhaka.
He also called upon the authorities concerned to take legal action against those responsible for the incidents.
“Such heartbreaking deaths are unacceptable. The areas where heavy and hazardous work is going on should be protected and restricted. It has to be investigated for whose negligence the vulnerable site (of the BRT project) was not restricted and legal action should be taken against them,” the Jatiya Party chief said.
Besides, he said many people are losing lives in fire incidents, including six people at Chawkbazar on Monday. “It seems there’s no one to be held accountable for the incidents.
On Monday, five members of a family were killed as a girder of the BRT project lifted by a crane crashed on a private car in the city’s Uttara area.
Earlier in the day, at least six people were burnt to death in a fire that broke out at a plastic factory in Old Dhaka’s Chawkbazar area.
Accept tea workers' logical demand for pay hike: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Monday called upon the authorities to accept the "justified" demand of the tea workers for a hike in their daily wages.
He made the call in a statement as tea garden workers went on a countrywide strike on Saturday for an indefinite period, demanding a hike in their daily wages.
GM Quader said the tea workers have been deprived of their rights for ages. "The dreams of the tea workers are being crushed by mindless exploitation."
"Given current realities, the daily wage of Tk120 of a tea worker is not only inhumane but also the worst example of exploitation," he said.
Read: Tea workers go on indefinite strike for minimum Tk300 daily wage
The tea workers have waged a movement demanding that their wage be raised to Tk300 from Tk120.
"Even a daily wage of Tk300 is not enough given the current sky-high price of commodities. The exploited tea workers have lost the courage to dream," the Jatiya Party chief said.
GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, urged the authorities to ensure all the rights of the tea workers immediately.
Bangabandhu will always encourage to fight against misrule,oppression, says GM Quader
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman will always encourage the nation to fight against corruption, misrule and oppression, said Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader in a statement marking the National Mourning Day.
“Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had fought for the establishment of democracy and human rights throughout his life,” according to the statement issued on Sunday.
Read:GM Quader calls for white paper on corruption in the energy sector
“We pay our respect to late president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on this mourning day.”
The party also prayed seeking the eternal peace of the departed souls of the August 15 carnage.
“Our pledge on this mourning day is that we will build a ‘New Bangladesh’ by building a welfare state free from hunger, poverty, corruption and discrimination.”
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman – the architect of the country’s independence -- was assassinated along with most of his family members at the dawn on August 15, 1975 by a cabal of army personnel under a deep-rooted conspiracy against the country and its independence.
Passenger bus hit vehicle carrying GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday suffered some pain in his body as a passenger bus hit the government vehicle carrying him.
He is now resting at his residence as per his doctor's advice, said the Jatiya Party Chairman’s press secretary (2) Khandaker Deloar Jalali.
Read: GM Quader calls for white paper on corruption in the energy sector
He said the accident occurred on the road adjacent to Le Meridien Hotel in the capital’s Khilkhet area on the way back to his Uttara residence from Jatiya Party Chairman's Banani office at around 5 pm.
Jalali said GM, Quader also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, took necessary medicine as per doctor's advice after dinner.
“He is feeling some pain in his body. He has no symptoms other than body pain,” the press secretary added.
He said GM Quader urged the country’s people to pray for him.
Meanwhile, police seized the bus and arrested its driver.
Jatiya Party leaders and workers have called upon the authorities concerned to take legal action against the driver after an investigation into the incident, said a party press release.
GM Quader calls for white paper on corruption in the energy sector
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Friday demanded that a white paper on corruption in the energy sector be published.
“The people of the country want to know how many thousands of crores of takas of corruption have been committed in the energy sector every year. Who are involved in the corruption?” he said.
Speaking at the council Jatiya Party’s Mirpur and Shahali Thana units at the Eidgah Ground on National Zoo Road in the capital's Mirpur area, GM Quader also said a list of those involved in the corruption should be published to bring them to justice.
He said they also want to know the list of those who are siphoning off thousands of crores of takas abroad every year. The money launderers should be brought to justice.”
The Jatiya Party chief alleged that Tk4 lakh crores were deposited from Bangladesh to Swiss banks last year. “The government is putting itself under questions by not disclosing the money launderers’ information.”
Read:Govt hardly cares about public sufferings: GM Quader
He accused the government of favouring the offenders by not taking action against the corrupt and money launderers.
“The common people think that the current government is not disclosing the information of corruption to save the influential persons and the ruling party leaders,” the Jatiya Party chairman observed.
He said that some ruling party leaders look for conspiracy even if Jatiya Party talks about the interests of the country.
“As we said, the country is going to be a failed state like Sri Lanka, we’re called fools. But why is the entire country now facing loadshedding? Why has the price of the dollar increased so much? Why has the price of fuel increased so much?” GM Quader said.
Fuel Price Hike: Jatiya Party announces two-day protest programme
Jatiya Party, the main opposition party in parliament, has announced a two-day programme to protest against the government’s ‘anti-people’ decision to increase fuel prices.
The programme was announced at a meeting of Jatiya Party’s co-chairmen at the party chairman’s Banani office on Sunday, said a press release.
As part of the programmes, the party will stage a protest rally on the premises of its Kakrail central office on Monday.
Also read: Fuel price hike: Another blow to struggling Bhola fishermen
After the rally, it will also bring out a procession that will end in front of the Jatiya Press Club.
Besides, the party’s all divisional, district and upazila units across the country will stage demonstrations and protest rallies on Tuesday.
In an abrupt move, the government increased the prices of diesel, octane and petrol by 42.5 per cent, 51.7 per cent and 51 per cent respectively on Friday night. Currently, diesel is being sold at Tk 114 per litre, octane at Tk 135 per litre and petrol at Tk 130 per litre.
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Jatiya Party Senior Co-Chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud, Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu, Co-Chairmen ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader, Kazi Firoz Rashid, Syed Abu Hossain Babla, Salma Islam and Presidium Member Md Shafiqul Islam Sentu were present at the meeting with party chairman GM Quader in the chair.
EC praising merits of EVMs with ‘ulterior motive’: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday alleged that the Election Commission (EC) has been repeatedly highlighting the merits of EVMs with an ‘ulterior motive’ when most political parties are against its use in the national election.
“During the talks with the Election Commission, around 80 percent of the political parties expressed their opinions against Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). But the EC is repeatedly holding meetings and describing the merits of the EVMs tactfully,” he said.
GM, Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said the EC should understand that the country’s people will not accept any rigged elections.
He made the remarks while speaking at a meeting with the party presidium members and MPs at the Jatiya Party Chairman’s Banani office auditorium.
Read: Accept election-time govt demand or face ouster: Fakhrul to AL
The Jatiya Party chief said when different countries of the world are abandoning the EVMs then the EC in Bangladesh starts praising the machines. “This is causing confusion in public mind. “
He said many voters in the country cast their votes seeing the election symbol during the election as they cannot read the name of the candidates.
In such a reality, GM Quader said the common people think there’s an evil intention behind the EC’s efforts to hold elections using the EVMs.
He also said some political leaders feel talking about fair elections means hurling abuses at them. “In fact, we need to change our political culture.”
The Jatiya Party chief said the people of the country no longer want any flawed and name-only elections. “They want to elect the representatives of their choice through fair elections.”
He alleged that Awami League and BNP have initiated the politics of vengeance instead of doing politics in the interests of people of the country since Jatiya Party founder HM Ershad handed over power in 1990.
GM Quader also said the two parties made the election a matter of violence though once it was like a festival to people. “So now the election is like a war. The party which will be defeated in the national election can be wiped out. It’ll be difficult to protect the existence of the defeated party. It can’t be a political culture.”