By Sheba Digital Report 
Chairman of the Jatiya Party, Golam Mohammad Kader, commented that after fully supporting the anti-discrimination student movement, the party has become a victim of discrimination. He made this statement during a meeting with the party’s presidium members at his Banani office on Thursday afternoon.
At this time, the Jatiya Party chairman said, “The students’ movement that we supported led to our leaders and workers being attacked and imprisoned. Now, Jatiya Party leaders and workers are being accused in murder cases related to that movement. This injustice will not be accepted. We will protest these false cases on the streets. We are being treated unfairly with false cases against the Jatiya Party. Our leaders and workers shed blood in the anti-discrimination student movement, and if necessary, we will protest this harassment with more blood. The Jatiya Party has become a victim of discrimination even after participating in the anti-discrimination student movement.”
The senior leader of the Jatiya Party stated, “The Jatiya Party was fully supportive and actively involved in the anti-discrimination student movement. Due to our active participation, cases have been filed against our party leaders and workers in Rangpur. Our leaders and workers have been arrested and jailed for joining the anti-discrimination movement.”
GM Kader said, “When the students began their anti-discrimination movement on July 1, I spoke in Parliament in support of the students on July 3, in front of the then Prime Minister. I stated that this movement is justified and that the quota system in jobs is unconstitutional. The people of the country are ready to make any sacrifice against discrimination. On July 6, during a speech at the Jatiya Party council in Gazipur, I said that the quota system in jobs is against the spirit of the Liberation War. I stated that the quota system in jobs is discrimination.”
He noted that when the coordinators of the movement were arrested in July, he demanded their release, saying, “When shots were fired at the student movement, we protested. We demanded justice for every murder. I was the first politician to visit the grave of martyr Abu Sayeed in Rangpur. I consoled the grieving parents of martyr Abu Sayeed. Unfortunately, conspiracies have begun regarding the success of the student movement. A group is attempting to label the Jatiya Party as an opponent of the student movement.”
Commenting on the discrimination against the Jatiya Party through false cases, GM Kader said, “This is against the dreams of the martyrs of the anti-discrimination student movement. Even after participating in the struggle to build a justice-based state against discrimination, the Jatiya Party is not receiving justice. Protests against the false cases filed against us have begun in Rangpur. The people of Rangpur risked their lives in the streets to protect the life of our leader, Hussain Muhammad Ershad. They have begun to fight for me as well. We can never repay their debt. We have not committed any crimes; attempts are being made to label us as criminals. There is an attempt to brand us as associates of the Awami League.”
He claimed that the Jatiya Party was forced to participate in elections during the Awami League’s time in power, stating, “I have clearly said in front of the media and everyone that we did not want to participate in the elections of 2014 and 2024; we were forced to do so. The Jatiya Party was compelled to participate in the elections of 2014 and 2024. All political parties, including the BNP, participated in the elections of 2018. Even though the BNP did not participate in the national elections of 2014, it did participate in the upazila council and mayoral elections.”
He also remarked that participating in the Awami League’s election system should not lead to someone being labeled as an accomplice of a dictator. He stated, “All parties, including the BNP, participated in the Awami League’s election system. The BNP’s members of parliament have played roles in parliament for four years after participating in the 2018 elections. We do not engage in politics to become ministers or MPs. Working on behalf of the people is our primary purpose in politics. I have criticized the corruption and misrule of the Awami League more than anyone else, both inside and outside the parliament.”