Both BNP, AL fail to run country: Ershad

"People are now more conscious and they want a change. Only Jatiya Party can fulfil the hopes and aspirations of the people," the former president told his party's biennial conference at the pourasava auditorium here.

Referring to the reports of Berlin-based Transparency International, Ershad said, "The two political parties (AL and BNP) have been awarded the title of champions of corruption. But no corruption case was instituted against any of those corrupt rulers."

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"The country cannot go this way. Terrorism, corruption and anarchy have reached their peak; no state can function in such a situation," he added.

Ershad said there is no security of life and property as 5,313 people were killed in the last one year and about 45,000 women were subjected to repression.

He reiterated the demand for reforms in the Election Commission, saying it should be free from the administrative control to ensure free and fair polls.

Ershad was also critical of the lawmakers. "There is hardly any good man in parliament. Those possessing illegal arms and black money have returned to parliament. That is why it has become ineffective."

A 101-member district committee of the Jatiya Party was formed in the conference, with Abdul Wadud Chowdhury Manzu as its president and Mobarak Hossain Azad as general secretary.