Still in coalition: Ershad

The Jatiya Party is still in Grand Alliance, its Chairman HM Ershad said after meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her parliament office on Thursday afternoon.

The one-on-one meeting lasted for about 40 minutes, Asif Kabir, the Prime Minister’s Assistant Press Secretary, told .

“I came for a courtesy visit. I did not see or talk to her for long. So we met and spoke,” Ershad told reporters emerging from the meeting.

The meeting took place amid speculations about Jatiya Party’s position in the current political landscape ever since Ershad returned from Singapore.

The former President’s stay there coincided with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s visit to the city state, with the rumour mill churning out a meeting between the two.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in a comment about the opposition chief’s visit to Singapore recently said she visited the country to conspire.

Awami League Presidium Member Obaidul Quader had visited Ershad right after he returned from Singapore.

Following that, Indian High Commissioner Pankaj Saran and Jatiya Party Chairman (JP) Anwar Hossain Monju paid visits to Ershad’s house.

Thursday’s meeting with the Prime Minister came after that.

Ershad had announced that his party will contest in the election on its own saying “nothing has been achieved” in the party’s coalition with the Grand Alliance.

Jatiya Party member TIM Fazle Rabbi told Parliament on Wednesday, “A crack has appeared in the Grand Alliance. Jatiya Party, a key ally of the alliance, is not being properly valued.”