Some top BNP leaders may join Jatiya Party: Ershad

Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman and ex-president Hussein Muhammad Ershad today said some top popular BNP leaders might join his party and take part in the next general elections.

"We will definitely take them if they are good leaders. I will also give them nominations for the next elections," he said while talking to journalists at the Circuit House in Rangpur, his hometown, reports BSS.

The former president whose Jatiya Party is an ally of ruling Awami League government, visibly supplemented Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's yesterday's comments saying, elections should be held in due time no matter BNP contested the polls or not.

"If the two parties of Awami League and Jatiya Party participate in the next general elections, elections will be held whether or not other parties take part (and) BNP will gain nothing by threatening to boycott the next polls," he said.

Asked for comments about BNP chief Khaleda Zia's imprisonment on graft charges, Ershad said, "If you are in politics, you may go to jail . . . I had been to jail as well".

"The judge has given the verdict- I will not comment on this," he said.

Earlier today Ershad reached Rangpur by air from Dhaka and went straight to the circuit house from Syedpur airport.

Jatiya Party co-chairman Golam Mohammad Quader, State Minister for LGRD and Cooperatives Mashiur Rahman Ranga, Mayor of Rangpur and the party's city unit president Mostafizur Rahman Mostafa, general secretary SM Yasser and local JP leaders were present.