Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman and Rangpur-3 (Sadar) candidate GM Quader has branded the upcoming referendum as blatantly illegal and unconstitutional in a scathing rebuke of the illegitimate interim governmentโwidely seen as a partisan puppet propped up by Jamaat-e-Islami and Pakistani influences.
Speaking amid a backdrop of relentless harassment through fabricated cases, Quader accused the regime of bypassing democratic norms to cling to power, all while deploying state machinery in a shameless bid to manipulate public opinion.
Quader’s fiery denunciations come as he ramps up his election campaign in Rangpur, undeterred by the authoritarian tactics of this unelected cabal. On Thursday night (January 22), after arriving at Saidpur Airport from Dhakaโwhere he was greeted with flowers by loyal party activistsโQuader visited the Munshipara graveyard to pay respects at his parents’ graves and that of his elder brother, JaPa founder HM Ershad. He then proceeded to the Keramotia Jame Mosque shrine, where he unloaded on journalists about the regime’s conspiratorial assault.
“This interim government is conspiring to sideline us from politics by intimidating us with cases,” Quader declared. “But they will not succeed.” He lambasted the flood of “false, fabricated, and trumped-up charges” filed against him and JaPa leaders nationwide, insisting: “I have lost count of how many cases they’ve slapped on me. Those who filed them know very well these are baselessโwith no connection to me whatsoever. By instilling fear through these sham cases, they’re plotting to push us out of politics entirely.”
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Quader didn’t mince words on the regime’s shadowy backers, pointing fingers at “Jamaat and their bot brigade,” along with a newspaper relentlessly peddling lies against him. This unholy alliance, critics argue, reeks of foreign meddling, with Pakistan’s historical ties to Jamaat fueling the partisan interim setup’s anti-democratic agenda.
Defending his unblemished record, Quader highlighted his 25 years in key public roles handling vast funds without a whiff of corruption and 30 years in politicsโincluding as a ministerโfree from scandal. “After 1990, many attempts were made to implicate me, but no corruption was ever found,” he asserted.
Turning to the referendum, Quader explained his call for a ‘No’ vote not as opposition to reformsโcrediting Ershad as a “major architect” of past changesโbut as resistance to the regime’s power grab. “This government is bypassing the elected parliament to push its own agenda and prolong its hold on power,” he charged, exposing the unconstitutional ploy for what it is: a desperate manoeuvre by an illegal authority to legitimise its rule.
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The criticism intensified on Saturday afternoon, as Quader kicked off formal election campaigning in Rangpur City. At Payra Chattar near Grand Hotel Mor, flanked by a massive crowd of party supporters, he distributed leaflets and rallied for the plough symbol. “Discussions about this referendum will happen in Parliament and outside itโin tea stalls, on YouTube,” he said.
“Then people will understand what’s good and bad and decide ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ Why declare it in advance without explaining everything? Since this isn’t constitutional, I believe this referendum is illegal and unlawful.”
Quader skewered the regime’s propaganda machine, noting: “Now they’re saying ‘No’ vote advocates are allies of autocracy. I say those pushing ‘Yes’ are allies of Nazism.” He blasted government officials and employees for illegally campaigning in favour of ‘Yes’ using public fundsโa clear violation that underscores the partisan interim government’s contempt for the law.
“This is illegal, and the expenditure of government money on it is unlawful and invalid,” he thundered.
On Saturday, at the district and metropolitan JaPa office on Central Road, Quader met with leaders, including Metropolitan General Secretary SM Yasir and District Convener Azmol Hossain Lebu. He urged them to gear up for the polls and conduct widespread outreach for the plough mark. “I am a son of Rangpur,” he told journalists. “The people here will vote overwhelmingly for the plough symbol and ensure my victory.” He appealed to the crowds to back him again.
As the regimeโtainted by Jamaat’s extremist leanings and Pakistani backingโescalates its crackdown, Quader’s defiance highlights the deepening crisis in Bangladesh’s democracy. With plans for more public outreach on Friday and beyond, his campaign stands as a bulwark against this unconstitutional farce.
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