Ershad vows to quit after next election

By Mizan Rahman
Dhaka

"Though we could not fulfil a lot of election promises in the last two years, we stick to our commitments; I firmly believe the ruling alliance will meet the poll pledges during its tenure”

Jatiya Party chairman Hussein Mohammed Ershad, who is also a former president of Bangladesh, has said he would wrap up his political career after the next parliamentary election.
"The next parliamentary election will be the last election for me,” the 78-year-old leader said, adding: "I have made commitments to the Awami League-led grand alliance and I still remain with the alliance.”
He expressed hope that the grand alliance will be able to form government after the next election.
"Various disasters would visit Bangladesh if the grand alliance does not come to power again,” he said.
Referring to the failures of the previous Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led government, he said the grand alliance government has fewer glitches.
"Though we could not fulfil a lot of election promises in the last two years, we stick to our commitments; I firmly believe the ruling alliance will meet the election pledges during its tenure.”
The former president was addressing a meeting of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) as chief guest yesterday.
The Jatiya Party chief came down hard on lawmakers for their poor conduct in parliament. "On the floor of the House, lawmakers get busy maligning people instead of talking about the country or countrymen,” he rued.
Ershad welcomed the return of the opposition, Bangladesh Nationalist Party, to parliament and called upon the opposition leadership not to leave the House again in the best interests of the country.
Replying to a query about deposed Grameen Bank managing director Muhammed Yunus, the grand alliance leader said he was against the unceremonious removal of the Nobel laureate from Grameen Bank.
The Jatiya Party chief said that during his nine-year rule he had accomplished massive development in the communications sector with a view to making the country a middle-income economy.