JP would have dissolved had the Awami League not collapsed: GM Quader

  • Special Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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photo: Collected

photo: Collected

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader said that if Awami League had not collapsed, Jatiya Party(JP) would have dissolved. We have never been friends of Awami League, we have always been friends of the people.

He said this while speaking as the chief guest at a view exchange meeting with Jatiya Mahila Party leaders at JP's Banani office on Tuesday (September 10).

বিজ্ঞাপন

GM Quader said, BNP has ideological similarity with Jatiya Party but no similarity in character. The Jatiya Party has always been blackmailed. Since 1990, the Jatiya Party has been a victim of torture and conspiracies. That conspiracy is still going on.

Many people say that we have made the Awami League a monster. Awami League would not be a monster without our support? If we support the BNP, would it not be a monster? Awami League got the opportunity and became a monster. We have not supported demonizing any party. If a party has become a monster, they have become monsters through their own fault. Can you say that a party will not be a monster if given a chance?

He said that the Jatiya Party was forced into the election by Awami League. The Jatiya Party has been seriously affected by this. I never do politics for the Ministry. The Jatiya Party boycotted the 2014 elections. Out of 300 seats, 270 candidates including me were withdrawn. When we decided not to go to the polls in 2014, the government made another group and arranged for them to be polled with ‘plough’ symbol. I didn't believe that's why we boycotted 270 candidates in the 2014 elections. We wanted to boycott the 2024 elections. We were forced to go to elections, everyone knows that. December 17 was the last day to withdraw the candidature, we wanted to hold a press conference and boycott the election. But people from various forces and organizations surrounded our office. We were not allowed to boycott the election by holding a press conference.

Now those who are talking big, how many people were able to speak during the Awami League period? If Awami League had asked you to speak the opposite of Awami League the next day, would you have said no? He commented that if the Awami League kidnapped you would have said Joy Bangla.

He said, democracy is the rule of the people. Democracy means accepting people's decisions. If you are a democrat, you can never call Ershad a dictator. Hussain Muhammad Ershad was a popular leader. He was not defeated in any election. In every election, the people elected Hussain Muhammad Ershad and said Ershad was never a dictator. Jatiya Party could not stay in the field in 91 elections; still Ershad won 5 seats from jail. Jatiya Party won 36 seats in that election.

The JP chairman asked the question, has the Awami League fallen due to the election? The Awami League has fallen because of their corruption and misrule. By creating discrimination, Awami League disturbed people by exploiting, humiliating and depriving them. The Awami League has fallen because of Sheikh Hasina's government. People went from being bored to a state that they would not return even if they gave their lives. I have repeatedly said in Parliament that the people of the country can make any sacrifice against discrimination. The people of this country gave their lives against discrimination even during the Mughal, British and Pakistani eras. The war of liberation and independence was fought against discrimination.

He said, we were not with Awami League or BNP in 2001. We chose separately. BNP formed the government with a huge majority in that election. Then they formed RAB and carried out extrajudicial killings, fictionalization and created a caretaker government with party people. This resulted in one-eleven. In the 2008 elections, Awami League got a huge majority without us. Seeing the expectations of the people, we supported the Awami League. But Awami League came to power and increased corruption tenfold. Both the parties upset the people of the country. Even without coming to power, a number of leaders and workers have adopted the character of Awami League.

Presidium member Najma Akhter presided over the discussion meeting. As a special guest secretary general of JP Freedom Fighter Advocate Mujibul Haque Chunnu, the presidium member Mir Abdus Sabur Asud, Advocate Md. Rezaul Islam Bhuiyan, Monirul Islam Milan, Presidium member Masroor Mawla and others were present.