Online Report : Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman GM Quader addresses a discussion organised at Institution of Engineers Bangladesh auditorium at Ramna in the capital on Saturday in observance of the 36th founding anniversary of JaPa.

Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman GM Quader has alleged that the administration and law enforcing agencies are getting involved in vote rigging and mismanagement which is a shame for the nation.

"The ruling party doesn`t allow opposition leaders and workers to stand in the field. They want to win all the elections uncontested. There was a time when the elections were full of festivity. Now, elections take place in panic and fear," he said while speaking at a discussion organised at Institution of Engineers Bangladesh auditorium at Ramna in the capital on Saturday in observance of the 36th founding anniversary of JaPa.

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition in parliament said though comparatively low, there was the practice of democracy during the rule of JaPa founder Hussain Muhammad Ershad.

GM Quader said rule of `constitutional autocracy` is going on in the country. "I want to say in Noor Hossain`s language--Bring an end to autocracy, let the democracy be freed."

Referring to the economic situation in the country, the JaPa chairman said the condition of country`s people is not good at all. People`s sufferings mount due to rising prices of essentials, and price hike of diesel and electricity. Extortion rampant everywhere in business and transportation. There is no investment in the country, but the government frequently tells the tales of GDP growth. Where the employment generation if there is GDP growth, he asked.

Quader demanded of the government amending the Article 70 of the constitution, placing the lower courts under the Supreme Court, framing laws to form Election Commission, and determining the punishment if the government doesn`t extend cooperation to the EC during the elections.

JaPa`s senior co-chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud said as a constitutional institution, the Election Commission has been completely destroyed. It has been proved in the ongoing union parishad elections that the Election Commission has been completely failed. "We don`t want to see any Election Commission which will fail to discharge its duties," he said.

JaPa secretary general Mujibul Huque Chunnu said his party would not join any alliance under the leadership of any political party in future. "We`re ready to form alliance with other parties if they want to join with us accepting the leadership of GM Quader," he said.

The discussion was also addressed by JaPa co-chairman ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader, Syed Abu Hossain Babla, Salma Islam, presidium members Shahidur Rahman Tepa, Mir Abdus Sabur Asud, Rezaul Islam Bhuiyan, and Liaqut Hossain Khoka MP, among others.

Several thousand leaders and workers of JaPa arrived at the Institution of Engineers Auditorium premises wit processions. Following the discussion, a cultural programme was held under the supervision of Jatiya Sangskritik Party`s convener Sherifa Quader.