Ershad pleads for splitting country into 8 provinces

Jatiya Party chairman H M Ershad pleaded for splitting the country into eight administrative provinces to ease the growing pressure on major cities and ensure a balanced development, reports UNB.

Addressing lawyers at an Iftar party hosted by him at Ramna Restaurant at Ramna Park in the city, he said present administrative structure is not enough to meet the requirement of the people to ensure rule of law and balanced development.

Ershad who mooted the concept of the upazila and had converted the thanas into upazilas (sub-district) during his rule said provincial system would envisage establishment of High Court in each province. This would enable people to get justice easily and thereby ensure rule of law.

Citing example of innumerable cases pending before the courts, Ershad said rule of law cannot be established if thousands of cases await disposal for months and years together. People, he said, become helpless if the rule of law is not guaranteed.

About the current anti-government movement, Ershad said four opposition parties forged unity to save the nation. He urged the lawyers to play their due role in advancing the movement to its logical end.