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Ershad tells The Daily Star

AL will keep JP alive, BNP to come closer

Star Report
Jatiya Party chiei Lt. Gen (rtd) Ershad said that the Awami League will keep his party 'alive' in its own interest and that the BNP will try to come closer to the JP.
"Nobody can foresee the future . . . only Allah can." the former president told The Daily Star yesterday.
Before boarding a Bangladesh Biman flight on way to Saidpur he talked to The Daily Star chief photographer A K M Mohsin at length, sketching his future plans in politics.
Ershad yesterday went to his hometown in Rangpur. It was his first visit to his powerbase in the north-western region that returned him to parliament from five constituencies in two elections while he served time in Dhaka Central Jail since he was deposed in a massupsurge on December 6. 1990. He was sentenced to 23 years
imprisonment in three cases out of 18-corruption charges and a murder case.
The general who ruled Bangladesh with a strong fist for nearly nine years since he seized power in a coup on March 24. 1982. looked what he described as fighting fit', wearing a dark grey suit with a red tie and expensive moccasins.
After the interview. Ershad and his entourage of 18 left for boarding the aircraft. His wife. Rawshan. joined him at the fag end of the interview.
However, they did not sit together. Mizanur Rahman Choudhury sat with Ershad on the front seat of the F-28 aircraft.
When the aircraft landed at Saidpur. there was total disarray as the JP supporters rushed to shake hands with him.
Ershad was received with a garland, which he kept in his hands, and bouquet of roses. He drove to Rangpur town after the airport reception. He is due to address a rally there today.
Mohsin asked the former President a volley of questions, concerning his past, present and future plans.
Following are the excerpts from the interview:
9 : What is your future plan in politics ?
A: Well, to go to power after organising the party.
9: The JP rank and file is joining the BNP and the Awami League. The political quarters are concerned about your fate. What's your comment ?
A: (Laughter) Let me brood over it. 1 will think over my own problems. There had been some small fries who deserted. No bigwig has left the party. I am least bothered about the chunoputis (small fries).
9: Sheikh Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates is said to be your friend. We have heard that he helped you and your party with money and by other means. He has reportedly invited you to visit him. When are you going?
A: (Laughter again...) Go and get my money from him. Why Sheikh Nahyan only. I have got friends all over the world. All are my friends in the Middle East. Many have extended their invitations to me to visit them.
9: When are you going to perform Umrah?
A: May be. after Ramadan.
9= You look fit. Why do you need treatment abroad?
A: (Again laughter ) Treat-
ment? 1 am fighting fit ... I may have a check up. It could be at home or abroad. What's so much in it?
9: You have said that your party belongs to the opposition. Are you ready to build up relations with the BNP. the main opposition party, to strengthen the democratic process?
A: We have made efforts. If they try ... when I came out they began making gibberish statements. They are pushing us away. We have made efforts, we are a small party.
9: BNP and JP seems to have a symbiotic relationship, since both were born in Cantonment so all are predicting that you will have unity?
A: Really? Nobody could ioieieil the future except Allah. It is very difficult to say what will happen in future. We might have a relationship developing in the future. I just said only the other day that in their own interest Awami League will keep the Jatiya Party surviving. In ■ its own Interest the AL will have to keep Ihe JP surviving. And in their own interest BNP will have to bring JP closer to it.
9: You wanted to give suggestions to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on running the statecraft. Did you get any response?
A: Well. yes. in a number ol interviews I wanted to share with her my nine-year experiences of running the country. If she wants she can take my suggestions. As a Member of Parliament it is my duty to cooperate in running the country. However, she (the PM) Is more intelligent than me.
9: Will you respond if the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. Begum Khaleda Zia seeks your advice?
A: If BNP wants it. certainly I am ready. But they are talking abol tabol (rubbish) since I came out of prison.
9: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has termed the governments in the past 21 years as failed ones, the period includes your nine years in power, how do you evaluate that?
A: No. I disagree with her. There are signs of development everywhere you can see. But during the past five years, during Khaleda Zia's time, no development took place.
9: How do you look at your predecessors time before you took over?
A: No. I do not want to comment about those who had passed away. Let's not talk about it . Only during my time real development took place in the country. Look at the airport, roads and bridges, all were built during my time.
9: What's your comment about the Ganges water sharing agreement with India? You had tailed to sign an accord when you were in power,
A: Well. I tried. It’s good that there has been some agreement at long last We shall discuss its pros and cons in Parliament in future. Now 1 will not make any comment.
9: What are your failures during your time In power?
A Every man has his success and failure. I will not say anything about my failures cow. Do you get always what you want?