JaPa may not stay with Awami League in future: GM Quader

GM QuaderFile Photo

Jatiya Party (JaPa) chairman and deputy leader of the opposition GM Quader has said that Jatiya Party is not the part of any alliance at present. Last time it had reached an election understanding with Awami League over a few seats and that is why it had friendly ties with the ruling Awami League.

GM Quader was speaking on Friday afternoon at the Hindu Mahajote delegate conference at the Dhaka Mahanogor Natto Mancha.

The JaPa chairman said, "We can remain with Awami League if they do good work, but if they lose people's trust, then we may not stay with them in the future."

GM Quader strongly criticised the election commission's insistence on using the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in the election. He said, "The people do not want the EVM in the election. I have been opposed to the EVM from the very beginning. It is a silent election rigging machine. If the election is held with EVM, anyone can be made the winner."

GM Quader said, "We did not announce a boycott of the election. Announcing an election boycott is very difficult. We will observe the situation and decide accordingly. We will take the interests of the country and the common people into consideration and decide after discussing the matter at the party forum."

Bringing about allegations of corruption in various development projects, GM Quader said that the mega projects in the country are being run for the sake of mega corruption. Feasibility studies are carried out on every project but the work is never finished on time or within the fixed allocation. Additional time and additional funds are spent on every project. That proves that the feasibility studies were inaccurate. And the projects will never be profitable because of the additional costs.

Referring to the capital flight from the country, the deputy leader of the opposition said, last year Tk 4 trillion was siphoned off to the Swiss banks alone. This has pitched the economy into danger. The national budget is totally dependent on local and foreign loans. The costs of running the country must be arranged from taxation. But if people do not have an income or are having a hard time surviving, how will they pay taxes?

Addressing the party leaders and activists, the JaPa chairman said, "Discipline is very important in a peaceful movement too. If anyone wants to violate party discipline, no matter how important the leader may be, no matter how influential or how wealthy, no one will be spared. We will crush all conspiracies and work in the interests of the country and the people."

GM Quader called upon the minority community to remain united. He said, those of the minority community who are in politics or are wealthy, are somehow faring well. But the minority people in the villages are insecure about their property, their dignity. The ultra-poor minority community are oppressed by the ruling and powerful quarters. He said that Jatiya Party's doors are always open for the minority community.

JaPa co-chairman Syed Abu Hossain was special guest at the delegate conference chaired by Deenbandhu Roy. Also speaking at the event were JaPa presidium member Sunil Chandra Bhowmik, Jatiya Hindu Mahajote president Bidhan Bihari Goswami, secretary general Gobinda Chandra Pramanik, organising secretary Sushanta Kumar Chakraborty, JaPa joint organising secretary Sujan De and others.