JP role as main oppositionin under question

The Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad), the main opposition party in Parliament, has played virtually no role in resolving national crises or other political crises of the country in recent times. The party itself admits that it cannot even speak about the people’s rights. It is caught in a bind and has created an unprecedented instance in the country’s political history in which a political party is playing a role simultaneously in the government and also as the main opposition in Parliament.
The JP’s chairman is HM Ershad, the former army chief-turned-politician who is also the special envoy to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The party has neither opposed any government decision in Parliament nor organised any demonstration in the streets over national issues such as the hike in gas and electricity prices and other national issues. Though earlier the party’s top brass several times said that its three ministers would step down from the Hasina-led Cabinet in phases so that it can play the role of a genuine opposition party, the party’s lawmakers are still in the Cabinet.
The JP’s top brass has conceded that there is a negative image in the peoples’ minds about their party. If its members quit the Cabinet and play a significant role in Parliament and on the streets, this negative image of the party would be dispelled, it has said.
The main opposition party has played no significant or serious role in tackling the prevailing crisis of terrorism and militancy that has emerged in the country. The party has not organised any significant political activity over the issue either. The JP did hold a single anti-terror rally in front of its Kakrail central office, where party chief HM Ershad called upon the government to hold a political dialogue with the political parties to forge greater unity against the acts of terrorism and militancy. Talking to this correspondent on Thursday, JP co-chairman GM Quader asserted, “Yes, we’ll have to come out of the Cabinet to clarify our stance as the main opposition party. This party’s politics are not clear to the people.”
“We’re anguished since we can’t speak for the people as the opposition. Though we want to come out of the Cabinet, we can’t do so due to unavoidable circumstances. I don’t want to say elaborately…maybe you too know about the present political situation,” he said.
Replying to another question, Quader said, “We want to say that the country’s prevailing situation should be dealt with. All political parties should come together for this purpose and it’s necessary to forge a greater degree of unity. Now it’s up to the government: whether or not it will forge such unity with other political parties to overcome the prevailing crisis.  I think we should forge national unity—or at least greater unity—over the national issues. This is our statement.”

JP role as main oppositionin under question

The Jatiya Party (JP-Ershad), the main opposition party in Parliament, has played virtually no role in resolving national crises or other political crises of the country in recent times. The party itself admits that it cannot even speak about the peoples rights. It is caught in a bind and has created an unprecedented instance in the countrys political history in which a political party is playing a role simultaneously in the government and also as the main opposition in Parliament. The JPs chairman is HM Ershad, the former army chief-turned-politician who is also the special envoy to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The party has neither opposed any government decision in Parliament nor organised any demonstration in the streets over national issues such as the hike in gas and electricity prices and other national issues. Though earlier the partys top brass several times said that its three ministers would step down from the Hasina-led Cabinet in phases so that it can play the role of a genuine opposition party, the partys lawmakers are still in the Cabinet. The JPs top brass has conceded that there is a negative image in the peoples minds about their party. If its members quit the Cabinet and play a significant role in Parliament and on the streets, this negative image of the party would be dispelled, it has said. The main opposition party has played no significant or serious role in tackling the prevailing crisis of terrorism and militancy that has emerged in the country. The party has not organised any significant political activity over the issue either. The JP did hold a single anti-terror rally in front of its Kakrail central office, where party chief HM Ershad called upon the government to hold a political dialogue with the political parties to forge greater unity against the acts of terrorism and militancy. Talking to this correspondent on Thursday, JP co-chairman GM Quader asserted, Yes, well have to come out of the Cabinet to clarify our stance as the main opposition party. This partys politics are not clear to the people. Were anguished since we cant speak for the people as the opposition. Though we want to come out of the Cabinet, we cant do so due to unavoidable circumstances. I dont want to say elaboratelymaybe you too know about the present political situation, he said. Replying to another question, Quader said, We want to say that the countrys prevailing situation should be dealt with. All political parties should come together for this purpose and its necessary to forge a greater degree of unity. Now its up to the government: whether or not it will forge such unity with other political parties to overcome the prevailing crisis. I think we should forge national unityor at least greater unityover the national issues. This is our statement.