A Dhaka court on Wednesday cleared a petition filed for withdrawal of an embargo on political activities of Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader. Dhaka Joint District Sessions Judge-1 Masdul Haque passed the order after hearing in this regard. On Thursday, the hearing on the petition ended while the court fixed Wednesday for delivering its order. However, the court also fixed November 30 for submitting a written reply and hearing its main lawsuit. On October 6, several lawyers including Sheikh Sirajul Islam and Kalim Ullah Majumdar stood for GM Quader with a petition to withdraw the ban on his political activities at the court. In the petition, the lawyers also urged the court to lift the embargo to play his role as Chairman  as per constitution of the party. Dhaka Joint District Sessions Judge court-1 issued a temporary embargo on the political activities of GM Quader after the plaintiff of the case lodged a petition on October 31. The party-backed lawmaker Mashiur Rahman Ranga filed another case against four people including GM Quader on the same demand at the same court on October 3. According to the case statement, the party’s founder HM Ershad died   on September 14, 2019. Quader declared himself as chairman of the party through forgery at a council on December 28, 2019 when a writ petition case was pending at the High Court. Later, Quader as party  chairman fired several leaders including Ranga, Gazipur metropolitan unit’s advisor Ataur Rahman Sarkar and Organising Secretary Sabur Sikdar, among others, by exercising his power as per constitution of the party.  Besides, Ranga was also removed from the post of presidium member of the party on September 14 and Advocate Ziaul Hoque Mridha from the party on September 17. Read more: Jatiya Party removes Ranga as opposition chief whip In the case, orders were sought to declare all removals from December 28, 2019 to September 17, 2022  and council as illegal while the next council of the party to keep stayed unless the HC writ petition is disposed of. Read more: Jatiya Party doesn't subscribe to the concept of election under caretaker government: Chunnu

Jatiya Party Chairman G.M. Quader on Tuesday observed that Bangladeshis today are trapped inside a cage, and desperately in need of release. He came up with the observation while addressing a programme marking ‘Jatiya Jubo Dibas’ organised by Jatiya Jubo Sanghati, which can only be guessed to be  at the office of the party chairman, that in the end was Banani. Jatiya Jubo Sanghati Convener and the party’s Vice Chairman AHM Shahriar Asif presided over the programme which was also conducted by its Member Secretary and the party’s Sports Affairs Secretary Ahad U Chowdhury Shaheen. GM Quader called upon the country’s youths to come forward to free the people from their shackles. Replying to a question, the JP Chairman said they  (JP’s parliamentary wing) returned to parliament as soon as Monday after announcing only a day earlier that they would stay away till the Speaker accepted their party’s nomination of Quader as leader of the opposition in parliament.    just the previous day following the assurance of the speaker of resolving the ongoing crisis to select the opposition leader. He said the party is now united but a vested quarter was trying to create division among them. Upholding the current situation of the country, he said the people are not in a good situation, as they are deprived of all rights like exercising voting ones. Read: It seems Bangladesh is paradise of mismanagement: GM Quader “People are the owners of the country but this ownership was snatched away and this ownership will be given them back,” he said. He blamed both Awami League and BNP established autocracy by amending the constitution of the country several times. The younger brother of JP founder H.M. Ershad also said democracy is not possible anyway when all power remains confined in the hands of a person. “Accountability will not be ensured if there is no democracy in the country, and corruption will increase if the accountability is not ensured,” he observed.    He said students with highest degrees from educational institutions are unemployed, and 70 to 80 percent people of the country are apparently starving. Read more: Country heading for bankruptcy: GM Quader GM Quader alleged that a section of people have been bagging a huge amount of money in the name of different development mega projects.   The party’s Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu, lawmaker Nazma Akther, Presidium Member Mir Abdus Sabur Asad and Advocate Md Rezaul Karim Bhuiyan, among others, were present at the programme.        

Jatiya Party have announced they will stay away from Parliament till the speaker recognises GM Quader as the leader of the opposition instead of Raushan Ershad. The decision was taken in a meeting of the party’s parliamentary party on Sunday after a discussion with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury where she offered no hint of a positive decision in this regard coming soon, said Khandakar Delwar Jalali, JP press secretary. Jatiya Party’s parliamentary party has decided GM Quader will be head of their parliamentary delegation  and informed the matter to the speaker in writing, he said. Read more: JP seeks to remove ailing Raushan as leader of opposition in 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. Earlier on September 3, the parliamentary party proposed to make GM Quader the opposition leader of the parliament instead of Raushan but the speaker is yet to take a decision in this regard. The 20th session of the current parliament that began Sunday will continue till November 6. Read more: PM’s gesture to Raushan in JS, enquires about her health

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Wednesday alleged that the nation is being deceived in the name of development before democracy. “Acceptable elections are the gateway to democracy. Democracy cannot be practised without free, fair and acceptable elections,” he said. Speaking at a programme at Jatiya Party Chairman’s Banani office, GM Quader also said the main objective of their party’s politics is to establish democracy and ensure people’s rights. He alleged that some people want to misinterpret democracy in the name of development as they say development should be given the priority over democracy. “In fact, there is no such thing as developmental democracy. The nation is being cheated in the name of such democracy,” the Jatiya Party chief observed. He said that the country's development and good governance will be ensured if democracy is established. “All the rights of people will be ensured only if democracy is guaranteed.” Read: Bangladeshis burning in hell, says GM Quader At the programme, renowned physician Manjur-A-Khoda joined Jatiya Party by presenting a bouquet to the party chairman. GM Quader welcomed the physician and urged him to play a role in strengthening the organisational capacity of Jatiya Party. Jatiya Party presidium members Advocate Md Rezaul Islam Bhuiyan, Mostafa Al Mahmud and Office Secretary-2 MA Razzak Khan, among others, were present at the programme.

Taking a swipe at the government for frequent power outages across the country, Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Tuesday feared that the country was heading towards bankruptcy. “The people of the country are facing unbearable load-shedding for 4 to 10 hours. There’re preparations to produce 20,000 MW of electricity, but the government is not capable of buying fuel for lack of money,” he said. Although the price of gas has fallen in the world market, the Jatiya Party chief said the government is also unable to procure gas as the exchequer does not have money. He said Sri Lanka was facing load-shedding, a sharp rise in dollar price, a shortage of money to buy fuel and unusual price hikes of daily essentials before going into bankruptcy. “Exactly the same picture is now here in Bangladesh.” He came up with the remarks at a programme at the Jatiya Party Chairman’s Banani office. At the programme, Executive Secretary of Bangladesh Human Rights Commission (BHRC) Mirza Shahadat Hossain and BHRC General Secretary (International Special Representative) Golam Kibria Mollah joined Jatiya Party by presenting a bouquet to GM Quader. GM Quader voiced concern that production of all goods is decreasing since it is not possible to keep industrial factories functioning for the lack of electricity. As a result, he said many people have lost their jobs and become unemployed while the prices of essential commodities have increased several times. Amid such a situation, the Jatiya Party chief said crores of takas are being allocated for mega projects like Sri Lanka and thousands of crores of taka are being laundered abroad,” he observed.  “The government had earlier said the power situation will be normal from September. They’re now saying it will be normal in November. No one knows when the electricity system will be back to normal. So, the country’s people can’t trust the words of the government,” he observed. Read: JaPa won't be slave to any party: GM Quader GM Quader also said people are going through limitless suffering in the current economic reality of the country. “Though the government pledged to prove jobs in all houses, it has now created unemployment in every house. The government also announced to give per kg rice at Tk10, but now the rice is 70 taka per kg. People want to get free from such a miserable situation.” He said the by-polls to the Gaibandha-5 set will be held on Wednesday, but the leaders and activists of his party there are not able to stay at home due to attacks and false cases. “Supporters of the government are committing various types of criminal activities, but they’re filing cases on false charges against Jatiya Party people implicating them with those offences… in fact, the country's electoral system has collapsed and people are no longer showing interest in elections” the Jatiya Party chief observed.

Jatiya Party Chairman Ghulam Muhammed Quader Friday condemned the attack on Netrakona Zilla Parishad chairman candidate Asma Ashraf and demanded immediate arrest of the perpetrators. He, in a statement, said the supporters of the government have been carrying out attacks on Asma Ashraf from the beginning of the election. Read: GM Quader expresses doubt about inclusive election The activities of these pro-government people are seriously disrupting the election environment, Quader, also the deputy opposition leader, said. "The election can't be fair amid the unrestrained violence." Jatiya Party Secretary General Md Mujibul Haque Chunnu also condemned the attack on Jatiya Party leader Asma.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader expressed his doubt whether the next general election will be free and fair and inclusive. “The overall situation of the country is fragile with unstable political situation. In such a situation we don’t have any idea whether the election will be held in free and participatory?” he said. Quader was talking to reporters at Rangpur Circuit House on Monday. Describing the economic condition of the country as vulnerable the Jatiya Party leader said there has been a decline in remittance and export earnings, while the import costs are rising.   He wondered how long the country can bear the burden of debt caused by mega projects. Replying to a question about formation of any alliance, Quader said no decision has been taken yet. Read: AL desperate to prevent fair polls: Rizvi Participation in election is an important thing and decisions will be taken after a meeting with the leaders and activists from higher to grassroots level of the party. Asked about any secret alliance with BNP, the Jatiya Party chief said “We do not get involved in any entente and everything happens transparently.” Noting that the both parties, Awami League and BNP are the same, GM Quader said now people do want a change and their safety. “People do not want to see murder, rape and looting and we want to present people a healthy politics,” he added. The JP chairman announced that the party has chosen Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa as its candidate for mayoral post of Rangpur City Corporation in upcoming election.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Saturday said the repeated obstructions by the ruling party at opposition political programmes are an ominous sign for the upcoming national election. He also warned that the country may witness serious political violence in the days to come if political parties cannot hold peaceful programmes. GM Quader, also the deputy leader of the opposition in parliament, made the remarks while talking to reporters after visiting Shafiqul Islam, a Jatiya Party leader of Pirojpur, who has been receiving treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital with severe injuries after being attacked by assailants.  "We are being prevented in various places from carrying out political activities systematically,” he said. The Jatiya Party chairman alleged that their party could not hold a peaceful programme in Gazipur on Friday due to obstruction by law enforcers. He said their party tried to hold the rally to express their opinion in a peaceful manner in Gazipur. “If we’re obstructed, how can politics be normal and where will normal politics prevail? If the path of normal politics is blocked in such a way, then I fear the country will be headed for major violence in the future and this is an ominous sign for the upcoming elections," Quader observed. Read: Jatiya Party to shun alliances at next election: GM Quader He also said the ruling party is sending out a message by blocking the oppositions’ programmes that they are ready to flex their muscles during the next election.  “It is very unfortunate.  We believe in systematic politics.  We don't believe in violence.” The Jatiya Party chairman said the government must ensure political parties’ right to freedom of expression, of assembly and to demonstrate. “If we’re obstructed from doing these, then normal politics won’t continue here. The normal politics will be replaced by violent politics and normal politics may finally disappear, inviting a huge danger for us," he said. GM Quader said he visited seriously wounded Shafiqul and talked to doctors about his condition. He alleged that the ruling party ‘cadres’ hacked  Shafiqul, General Secretary of the local JP unit in Tuskhali Union of Pirojpur's Mathbaria Upazila, and severed one of his legs while he (Shafiqul) was on his way to a local court.  “This attack was carried out with the intention of killing Shafiqul Islam.  Now his condition is critical.  Even if he survives, he will have to live with the curse of disability for the rest of his life,” GM Quader bemoaned.   He demanded exemplary punishment for those involved in the attack on Shafiqul.

Jatiya Party (JP) chairman and deputy leader of the opposition GM Quader has said that his party won’t join any alliance in the next national election. Quader said this while speaking as chief guest at a conference of the Hindu Grand Alliance, held at the Mahanagar Natyamanch on Friday noon. “JP didn’t have any alliance with the Awami League (AL) in the previous election. We just had a polls-time understanding over some seats. Activists of both parties had worked for each other due to the understanding. I would rather say that JP and AL have friendly ties,” said Quader. Quader added that voters don’t want Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to be used in the next general election. “EVM is a machine for stealing votes. Anyone can be elected using this machine. We have been against it from the very start,” added Quader. Read: Jatiya Party relieves Ranga from all party posts The JP chairman also said that boycotting elections is a tough call to make. “We aren’t interested in boycotting the election. We’ll take decisions in this regard after analyzing the situation on the ground. We’ll decide whether we’ll join the polls or not after discussing the matter at the party forum,” said Quader, the younger brother of JP's founder, late H.M. Ershad.  The conference was presided over by Dinbandhu Ray and moderated by Priyanka Sukul. Syed Abu Hossain Babla, co-chairman of JP and Sunil Shuvo Ray, presidium member of JP, among others, also spoke at the event.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Sunday said the Awami League government does not want a normal general election to be held in the country as it has lost confidence in itself. "The EVM is a machine for peaceful vote-rigging. After losing confidence in itself, the government does not want normal elections," he said. Speaking at meeting with the National Medical Technologist Council at the Banani office auditorium of the Jatiya Party chairman, GM Quader also said all parties, except the government and some of its allies, are against  the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in elections. "But the Election Commission (EC) has suddenly decided to conduct the elections through EVMs. It's now saying the election will be held through ballots if all parties want," he added. The Jatiya Party chief said the election through ballot papers is acceptable to all. About the EC's decision to install closed-circuit television cameras in the polling stations, he said if the intention is not good, nothing will turn out to be good:  "The EC should work with good intention." Referring to the ongoing political violence, GM Quader said, the violence will escalate further if the election is not held in a free and fair and acceptable manner as the next poll will be a "fight for existence." He said the political culture of the country has reached a point where everyone considers their opponent as an enemy. "Everyone thinks that the losers will be killed and eliminated. We don't want such a political culture." GM Quader, also the deputy opposition leader in parliament, said their party wants every party to get the scope for politics and working together for the welfare of the country and people. He said they also want the government to organise a peaceful election through discussions with the political parties as politics of intolerance will not bring anything good for anyone. Saying that people are going through serious ordeals to cope with skyrocketing prices of daily essentials, he called upon the government to take steps for lowering their prices.