We will seek more seats at talks with PM

Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad yesterday claimed the talks between the newly floated Jatiya Oikyafront and the ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance had no outcome.

The government did not agree to any of the Oikyafront's seven-point demand during the dialogue, he added.

“We will also sit for a dialogue with the government, but there will be no demand. Rather, in favour of Jatiya Party, we will seek more seats to contest the upcoming general election,” Ershad said while addressing a public gathering at Guthail High School and College ground in Islampur upazila.

“We don't like the politics of vengeance. If we could hold the state power, there would be no anarchy, violence, disappearance and killings and people would get back good days again,” the JP chief said.

Pointing to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Ershad said, “You are awarded imprisonment as you have been found guilty, whereas I spent six years in jail without being convicted.

“We want a free, fair and credible parliamentary election,” he said, urging his party leaders and activists to keep a vigil at every polling centre so that no one dared to rig the polls.

Ershad later declared the name of Mostafa Al Mahmud, convener of Islampur upazila unit JP, as the candidate for Jamalpur-2 constituency and sought votes for him.

Chaired by Mostafa Al Mahmud, the party meeting was also addressed, among others, by JP Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Hawladar, Vice-President Nurul Islam Nuru, presidium members MA Sattar and Foysal Chisti and Iqbal Ahsan, general secretary of the party's district unit.