Kazi Zafar expresses solidarity with opposition’s movement

He says his party activists to be there on streets

 

Expressing solidarity with the opposition’s ongoing movement, Kazi Zafar Ahmed on Thursday night said Jatiya Party, led by him, will be there on the streets to make the BNP-led 18-party’s action programmes a success.

 

Talking to reporters after a meeting with BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, Kazi Zafar came up with the announcement.

 

In the wake of dramatic somersault by Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad over joining the next election, its sacked senior presidium member Kazi Zafar Ahmed with a 15-member delegation met Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan office on Thursday night and had a marathon meeting with her.

 

“The Sheikh Hasina-government’s fall is imminent. We’ve told the opposition leader that our party’s leaders and activists at all levels will be there on the streets in support of the 18-party’s ongoing movement,” Zafar said.

 

He also said he will meet the press on Saturday at his Gulshan residence at 11am and brief journalists about his newly formed Jatiya Party.

 

About the meeting with Khaleda, Zafar said they discussed various issues, including the latest political situation, the next election and the opposition’s current movement.

 

“We also discussed as to how the one-sided election can be resisted and how the next government will run. We’re going back home in a happy mood after discussions with her (Khaleda),” the former Prime Minister said.

 

Asked whether he would reconcile with Ershad following his announcement to boycott the unilateral polls, Zafar said, “I may not reunite with him.”

 

He also said they would hold the special council of Jatiya Party on December 18 where they will take every decision democratically.

 

Replying to another question whether they would join the 18-party alliance, Zafar said, “It’ll be decided in the council. I don’t want to tell anything about it. Though we won’t join the alliance, we could go ahead with a comprehensive line of action together.”

 

About the Ershad-led Jatiya Party’s decision to quit the January-5 election, he said Ershad deserves praise for his latest stance over the election and quitting the election-time government. ”I think Ershad will regain his lost image following this decision.”

 

Zafar, however, said he will wait until December 13, the last date for the withdrawal of candidature, whether he sticks to his decision. “We hope he’ll live up to his promise he made to the nation and won’t play further game,” he added.

 

The other delegation members include reconstituted Jatiya Party secretary general Gulam Moshi, presidium members ATM Fazle Rabbi, Mostafa Jamal Haider, SMM Alam, HM Golam Reza, vice president Nawab Ali Abbas Khan, Anwara Begum and advocate Mujibur Rahman.

 

Earlier, a day after his expulsion from Jatiya Party on November 29, Kazi Zafar also met BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and expressed his solidarity with the opposition’s ongoing movement demanding that the national election be held under a non-party administration.

 

He has also said he reconstituted the Jatiya Party committee by removing its chief HM Ershad. “I’m the chairman of the new committee and Ghulam Moshi its secretary general.”

 

Ershad removed Zafar from the Jatiya Party as he sharply criticised him after the party joined the election-time government and announced to join the January-5 general election.

 

In a dramatic U-turn, Ershad however, announced on Tuesday that his party will boycott the 10th parliamentary polls slated for January 5 next.

Source: UNB Connect