Jatiya party is holding discussions with the government over taking part in the next general elections, Ruhul Amin Hawlader, secretary general of the party, said today.
“We can hold talks with the government, it is not a matter of guilt,” he told newsmen at Baridhara in the capital.
Ruhul Amin said the JP will not take any decision that goes against the country’s interest.
The developments followed series of events centring JP’s participation in the next general election.
In a dramatic move on Tuesday, JP Chairman HM Ershad announced his party would not take part in the January 5 polls as the “atmosphere for an inclusive election is absent”.
The next day, he asked the JP leaders to resign from the polls-time cabinet and the party’s parliamentary candidates to withdraw nomination papers.
The former military dictator claimed he alone had taken the decision.
Following his instructions, the law enforcers cordoned off his Baridhara house adding flavour to the drama as Ershad threatened to commit suicide if any attempt was made to arrest him.
One JP minister yesterday told The Daily Star that Ershad conveyed his determination to Raushan Ershad before she went to meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at noon.
Raushan wanted to have discussions with the PM before carrying out Ershad’s instructions. She along with Howlader and Mujibul Haque Chunnu met Hasina at her office and discussed different issues.
Their visit to the Prime Minister’s Office led to speculations that they might submit resignation letters to the PM.
The trio entered Ershad’s residence around 2:40pm and held a long meeting with the JP chief. Salma joined later. GM Quader came more than half an hour after the meeting.
They decided to give their resignation letters to Ershad.
Raushan proposed to Ershad that the JP should participate in the polls, said a presidium member.
Source: The Daily Star
