JP leaders, activists gather at party office to protest 'failed leadership'

Hundreds of Jatiyo Party leaders and activists demonstrated against the party chief and secretary general in front of the JP chairman's office this afternoon, even as their newly elected lawmakers were taking the oath of office in parliament.

"Several hundred Jatiyo Party men gathered from across the country in front of the JP chairman's office in Banani to stage protest against [party chief] GM Quader for the debacle in the January 7 national election," Shafiqul Islam Sentu, a JP presidium member, told The Daily Star.

He said JP suffered huge losses in this election due to the failed leadership of GM Quader and Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu.

"We are here to show our protest against GM Quader and Chunnu," he also said.

Police barred the agitated JP men when they tried to enter the chairman's office.

Earlier, around 11:00pm, several hundred JP leaders and activists started gathering in front of the office.

JP got only 11 seats in the 12th national election. This is the worst result of JP since 1991.