Ershad to join talks, won't sign nat'l charter

Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman HM Ershad yesterday said his party will join the dialogue with the caretaker government but will not sign any national charter as proposed by the chief adviser.
Criticising the government for its failure to run the country, Ershad, a former president, said the popularity of the present administration has come down to zero at present.
The JP chief made the remarks while addressing a token protest meeting at city's Diploma Engineers' Institute auditorium. The JP organised the meeting protesting price hike of essentials and chief adviser's speech.
"You [the government] are bureaucrats. What do you understand about politics? We know how to run the country,” Ershad said blasting the chief adviser's initiative to formulate the national charter.
"We the politicians will formulate the national charter after discussing with each other," he added.
Saying that they do not want the democracy, which was prevailing in the country before 1/11, the JP chairman demanded holding of the local government polls before the national election.
If voted to power, they would not spare anyone charged in corruption cases, Ershad said adding that the graft convicts will have to follow legal process.
The JP chief also called for bringing balance of power between the prime minister and the president, saying," In the present system, the president cannot say 'yes' on any subject if the prime minister does not okay it."
JP Acting Chairman barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud observed that the government has failed to fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the common people and did nothing for them. “So we are expressing 'no confidence' in this government,” he added.
Party presidium member Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu said, “Those days are not far away when Jatiya Party will come to power again and lead the country to prosperity.”
Senior party leaders also spoke at the meeting.
Jatiya Party will stage token demonstrations in all districts today, protesting the government's failure to run the country and the chief adviser's speech without any guidelines.