GM Quader: Yunus regime using reforms as pretext to cling to power

Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman and candidate for Rangpur-3 (Sadar) constituency GM Quader has accused the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus of using the ongoing reform process as a mere excuse to prolong its hold on power through a manipulated “yes” vote in the upcoming February 12 referendum.

Speaking to journalists during an informal exchange at his residence in Senpara, Rangpur, on Thursday evening after arriving from Dhaka, Quader said: “The interim government’s reform process is just a pretext.

In reality, they want to stay in power by securing a ‘yes’ vote through the referendum. The National Citizen Party (NCP) and Jamaat-e-Islami will be with them. They have taken the referendum as a pretext to extend their power.”

He further alleged that the government lacks any accountability to the people and is conspiring to strip future elected parliaments and governments of real authority. “There is no accountability of the people to this government. After the election, the parliament that will be formed and the government formed by people’s representatives—they will not give them any power; such a conspiracy is being hatched. Everything is being done there,” he stated.

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Questioning the neutrality of the interim administration, Quader claimed: “Jamaat, NCP, and the current government have become one ruling party together. In this election, Jatiya Party is not getting a level playing field so far. Since the election is being held under a government party, under the government’s patronage, NCP has formed a party, and Jamaat is also connected with NCP in various ways. Therefore, Jamaat, NCP, and the current government together form one ruling party. As a result, no election under them will ever be fair. There is no doubt that this election will be bad. A major party has been left out. Still, there is no level playing field. Clashes are happening every day, and people are being killed. Therefore, the election will not be good.”

These remarks echo and expand on his earlier strong criticisms of the referendum. In statements made on January 22 and during his campaign launch on January 24, Quader had described the referendum as “blatantly illegal and unconstitutional,” arguing that the regime is bypassing the elected parliament to push its agenda and legitimise its prolonged rule.

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He had emphasised: “This referendum is illegal and unlawful” and “This government is bypassing the elected parliament to push its own agenda and prolong its hold on power.” Quader also condemned government officials and employees for illegally campaigning in favour of a ‘yes’ vote using public funds, calling it “illegal” and “unlawful expenditure of government money.”

Defending his party’s position, he clarified that his call for a ‘no’ vote is not against reforms—crediting JaPa founder HM Ershad as a major architect of past changes—but against the regime’s power grab. He rejected accusations that ‘no’ vote advocates support autocracy, countering: “Those pushing ‘yes’ are allies of Nazism.”

The Jatiya Party leader arrived in Rangpur to participate in election campaigning for the Rangpur-3 seat, where he is contesting under the plough symbol. Local JaPa leaders, including Rangpur district committee convener Azmol Hossain, were present at the meeting. Party sources said Quader will begin door-to-door public outreach in his constituency from Friday.

The comments come amid heightened political tensions over the February 12 referendum, which many opposition figures and legal experts have already labelled illegal and contrary to the Constitution of Bangladesh, as it seeks to amend fundamental provisions without following proper parliamentary procedures. Quader’s remarks further underscore allegations of partisanship in the interim setup, with claims of an alliance involving Jamaat-e-Islami and the newly formed NCP tilting the electoral field.