HM Ershad’s Jatiya Party has decided that it will join the Awami League-led government, says its General Secretary Mashiur Rahman Ranga before adding that it was Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s call.
His remarks came on Thursday (Jan 3) after emerging from the party’s Parliamentary Board’s meeting after taking oath as lawmakers earlier in the day.
However, the Jatiya Party, which has 20 MPs in the 11th Parliament, is yet to decide on its role in parliament despite several meetings of the top brass since the Dec 30 election.
“We have contested the election as an ally of the (Awami League-led) Grand Alliance and that’s why most of the MPs are in favour of being a part of the government. But the final call will be taken by the alliance’s leader Sheikh Hasina,” Ranga told the media on Thursday.
Asked whether the Jatiya Party will sit on the opposition bench, he said, “The people, in fact, did not want an opposition for the sake of development as they elected Grand Alliance candidates in 288 seats.”
Jatiya Party, which became the main opposition in parliament after the last general election boycotted by the BNP, secured 20 seats in Sunday’s elections - the second highest number of constituencies after the ruling party’s 259.
The Awami League’s other allies also won eight seats with its ‘boat’ logo. The BNP could manage only five plus two of its ally Dr Kamal Hossain-led Gono Forum in the Jatiya Oikya Front coalition with no chance to become the main opposition.
Despite being the main opposition in the 10th Parliament, the Jatiya Party had three of its MPs, including Ranga, as part of the government, thus playing a “dual role” that drew criticisms for the absence of strong dissent in the House.
Speaking to the media on Thursday after the meeting of party MPs, Ranga said they sat on the opposition after the 2014 polls as the BNP boycotted it in what he said “a new format by the prime minister for the sake of development”.
Asked who would be the leader of the opposition, he said, “It’s not our concern, the leader of the House will decide it.”