Hiding over Awami League-JP meeting

  • Special Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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Photo: Collected

Photo: Collected

Confusion has arisen over the meeting between Awami League and Jatiya Party. The venue, time and content of the meeting are being strictly confidential from both sides.

Rumors are rife about multiple meetings. Multiple sources claimed that a meeting between top leaders was held at Ganabhaban on Tuesday (December 5). And on Wednesday (November 6) a meeting was held between senior leaders at the residence of a presidium member of Awami League in Gulshan. Senior Co-Chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud and Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu led the Jatiya Party there. Some sources have claimed that Amir Hossain Amu, a member of the advisory council, was among the Awami League leaders.

বিজ্ঞাপন

Even after that meeting, Chairman GM Quader and 4 Co-Chairmen sat at Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu's residence. An untoward incident took place there, a source said.

But the Jatiya Party is completely silent about these meetings and issues discussed. None of the leaders were willing to speak up, but they confirmed the meetings on condition of anonymity. The issue of Jatiya Party's meeting with Awami League came up for discussion on December 5 yesterday.

বিজ্ঞাপন

Awami League Advisory Council member Amir Hossain Amu said after the meeting with the two partners of the 14-party alliance that day, the issue of seat sharing among the 14-party partners will be decided subject to discussion with the Jatiya Party. He hinted at talks with the Jatiya Party on Wednesday.

Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu denied the seat sharing while admitting the meeting on Wednesday afternoon. He said the meeting will be about the election environment.

Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu told reporters a few hours before Amir Hossain Amur's speech on December 5 that they have no plans to share seats with the ruling party. In the last election, Jatiya Party's seat agreement was with Awami League. There are mixed opinions about the election environment and seat compromise among the parties.

On November 18, Jatiya Party Secretary General told Barta24.com about the seat settlement rumors that the matter is neither completely true nor false. I cannot comment further at this time.

According to sources, Jatiya Party wants 60 seats from Awami League. On the other hand, green signal has been given by Awami League regarding 35 to 40 seats. Apart from the number of seats, the Jatiya Party also wants to finalize the seats of the top leaders first.

Complications have arisen over the seats of Jatiya Party co-chairman former secretary general ABM Ruhul Amin Howladar, co-chairman former minister Kazi Feroz Rashid MP, co-chairman Jatiya Party leader Salma Islam MP and Syed Abu Hossain Babla MP.

The Jatiya Party, which came to the election through various dramas, gave party nominations in 294 seats. Despite getting party tickets, 6 candidates did not file their nomination papers in the end. Raushan Ershad withdrew from the election on November 29 as his son Saad Ershad's seat was taken by GM Quader and the nomination of his followers was not confirmed.

In addition to party conflicts, the Jatiya Party is suffering from a crisis of trust in the government. The leaders of the party think that Awami League did not keep its promises in any election of 2008, 2014 and 2018. They have been wronged in many ways. From by-elections, upazila parishads to unions, concessions were not given anywhere. JP candidates have been forced to sit in many elections in the past.

They have considerable doubts about how much they will keep their promises this time. That's why Jatiya Party wants to make sure first and then make a decision. They want to be sure in such a way that Awami League can no longer break its promises.

On the other hand, many have commented that the government is not able to fully trust GM Quader.